


I Know You

by KitSnake



Category: Naruto
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Dark Comedy, Explicit Language, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Kidnapping, Legends, Love, M/M, Magic, Mystery, Nudity, Obsession, Violence, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-03-05 23:42:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 41
Words: 175,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18839185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitSnake/pseuds/KitSnake
Summary: This is a tale of love and pain. A story about five boys who've all got something to gain. They'll travel, cry, and fight together. The true test lies, in how only one will suffer. Will he accept the lost or seek revenge? One path leads to a road with no end. [Warning/Tags: AU, Gaara, Naruto, Sasuke, Cocky-Shikamaru, Kiba, Many ships like ShikaGaara, NaruSasu, ShinKib, ect , Memories, Kidnapping, Yaoi, Murder, Death, Love, Lost, Hate, Possession, Obsession, Action-ish, Guns, Violence, Legends, Hints of Abuse/Rape, suggestive/disturbing language, Angst, Nudity, BLOOD, Dark humor to cope with internal pain suppressed by laughter]





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Important Note: The Story Has Been Rewritten! Also, Gaara Has Eyebrows! Everything is revealed over time and or hinted to allow the cogs to turn. As for the ships, you'll see hints on either side and some more than others. Key reasons are age, mindset, and luck. Due to certain events, names are also flipped momentarily to set up the story. It shouldn't be hard to guess whose who. It'll be revealed early on as well. Other than that, I do hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Story Symbols: ~/./~ Anything between this is a memory or session ~/./~
> 
> \::/ Anything between this means a break to something else or time skip \::/
> 
> Everything else is pretty much self explanatory.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own …. Naruto.
> 
> Claimer: Majority of the rhymes or poems are my own creation. If something is not mine, its owner will be referenced.
> 
> Post: Every Monday and Wednesday A New Chapter. (This gap gives me time to finish other stories)

* * *

 

**~ Once upon a time...~**

A small village underwent genocide in the middle of the night. Flames blazed from homes against the dark skies just as bodies young and old were burned to a similar hue.

What was their crime?

Simply suspicion of rebellion against their king.

Of course no such thing was taking place, but does it matter? Paranoia can make anyone take drastic courses of actions. So imagine paranoia in four men and women all ruling one kingdom together.

Every conspiracy thought of was reportedly against their own people.

Like all bad things though, it wasn't always like that. A mindset of this magnitude took time. At the height of their most proudest and noble achievements, fear began to brew. It led them to do many atrocious and unnatural things, for these nobles began to believe that the only way to insure true order was to not only be kings, but god's. And as gods, they needed someone to act as each of their swords.

The 1st King employed a callous redhead named Ishida and a wild man named Toriumi, as his knights.

The 2nd King employed no such knight, but rumored to have kept woman assassins that were rarely ever seen.

The 3rd King employed the most ruthless, named Menma, as his knight.

And the 4th employed a clever knight named Moriku.

All four knights were part of a program for warrior born children. They were stolen from birth and raised to bring a likeness of hell on earth.

They were given one oath.

Be loyal to thy kingdom.

They were given one goal.

A place in the temple to praise thy father.

They were given one tactic.

Kill.

The knights were lead by the oldest, Menma, for his ruthlessness and devotion. He was an astonishingly devilish man with the charcoal hair of Satan, ocean eyes to drown you, and three scars on each side of his face that was a reminder of which king he served.

He conducted many battles and raids. He took many lives of every age. He was death at that point in time, thinking he could be nothing more..have nothing more.

This village was the receiver of death per orders given just hours before.

Menma was walking down the dirt streets of the burning community, amidst the smoke and civilians running from his army that chased them. His target was the hut just in front of him at the end of the lane. There the other three knights stood, waiting for him with an elderly woman at their feet, clearly beaten but alive.

Her right eye was swollen, limiting her vision in seeing the demon approaching her. When she blinked the best she could, he was right there in front of her with a torch in hand and the other on the handle of his claymore. It startled her, but where could she go? His men had already rendered her legs of any use.

"Do you revolt?" His voice was deep, dark, and empty as if any answer would be wrong either way.

This old woman wasn't afraid, yet. She looked him straight in the eyes, recognizing them to long ago belong to a once innocent infant. But now, there was not a fragment left no matter how hard she hoped. She so responded with, "What does it matter to you, demon?"

Menma stared, his gaze like a brick wall. "Tsunade Senju of Sannin village. You are the head healer here."

Tsunade glanced up at him. "And?"

"You also dwell in necromancy."

Now she was confused. Is that why she was alive still? Is that really why they were there? She began to believe the rumors to be true about the kings dwelling in things they shouldn't. If so, she'd rather die than aid those hypocrites in any kind of way. She so let her silence be her answer.

"Did you search the witch's house, Moriku?"

"We found nothing, Menma. Nothing but potions, herbs, books, and bottles inside. There is a necklace around her neck that she hides with witchcraft though." He was as clever and precise as he sounded with shoulder length black hair seeping from his helmet.

Tsunade panicked, keeping her head down to hide her fright.  _'How did he-'_  Her inner thought was broken as she suddenly let out a deathly scream and pushed away from one of the knights that had gotten down on all fours, sniffing her. She couldn't crawl fast due to her injuries. Plus, the point of a sword found her throat when she turned around to army crawl again.

"Witch." Menma used the blade to lift her chin and make her sit up. When she was upright, he tossed his torch into her home and watched her eyes widen. "Moriku says you have a necklace hidden on you, and Umi can smell the devils work."

The one called Toriumi was still on all fours like a dog. He focused with startling, shining charcoal slitted eyes through his armored helmet, head tilted to the side. And then, he let out a low growl. The scent of witchcraft, magic, ect, made him sick. "She's a bedlam, Commander."

"That she is, Umi. Perhaps I should let you rip her apart."

Tsunade snapped her eyes back to Menma, spite in them and sorrow. "You and the rest of your pets can do whatever you want to me. I'll never give you a damn thing willingly!" She then spat up a good amount of crimson at the lead Knight's armored legs, but she never looked him in the eyes after that.

"If we cut off your head, cut you into pieces, or simply remove your wretched heart, the enchantment will be broken and the necklace you hold so dear will show itself. You could spare yourself a bed in the internal fire by simply handing over the gem."

That maliciously calm voice didn't come from Menma, so it had to be the one that hadn't spoken yet. The shortest one with flaming hair near Moriku. Tsunade rebelled in the chill of night anyway. "Ha, you're all hard of hearing! I said I'd never-"

"We heard," Menma cut her off, literally. He then shoved the tip of his bloodstained sword into the dirt and took a knee to get on eye level and watch her choke on her own red liquid spilling at a pace from her neck and mouth. "By order of the Third King, you may die."

"Y-you, ngh, will l-live agh, to regre-" She coughed up the clot, her tearing caramel eyes turning a pale green like the emerald gem that had began to reveal itself around her neck. She had to do something quick. She then grabbed hold of the knights leg she'd tainted with her blood and now more of it and finished with, "t-to regret the day you, ngh, kill for yourself!"

That same sword that slit her throat, was then used to pierce through her back. It rendered her green eyes to their natural color and yet, lifeless like her body that dropped.

Menma watched her last breath, twisting his sword till he heard bones crack to make sure. When she was gone, he yanked the necklace off of her neck and stood back up, looking it over. "Useless," he uttered a word he'd heard many times as a child and dropped the necklace whose value appeared less to him now despite his knowledge of what it was. "Why'd you plead with this witch, Ishida?"

"Because, my Master, I feared for the poor soul that would have to clean her sinful life off your sword. They'd never be allowed in the temple for years."

"Ever so beautiful and kind, Ishida." Menma chuckled low and glanced at the comrade he intended to piss off, wrenching the claymore out of the woman's back.

"Thank you, my Ma-"

"I don't think it's time for commendations. The men have gathered the last few of the traitors over there, Menma." Moriku interrupted rather abruptly and aggressively with a gesture to the center of the town, proving to have been triggered by their commander.

Menma smirked slightly, turning to look out at the village asunder, flames dancing within those dead ocean orbs of his.

Toriumi was at his side, sniffing the air, picking up the scent of witchcraft. He wasn't sure why it was coming from his commander though and not the necklace that was right at his feet. He picked up the gem to sniff it more, not picking up anything. It confused him to no end. He then tossed it far, choosing not to say anything about it to his commander who was starting wreak of witchcraft, toughing it out.

The ruthless knight then nodded, alerting his three comrades to follow him over to the eyes of his soon fell upon a small group of people gathered in the center. All were held in one bunch by Menma's favorite and most proud soldier, Ijen.

"We've gathered the last of the traitors here, Sir."

"Good work, Lieutenant." Menma then took a stand in front of the bunch. "I serve Kazuhiko Inoue. He is Third King of this Kingdom that you've all taken for granted!"

Uproar, accusations, and then why. That's how it always went.

"We didn't do anything!"

"You're doing this for your own sick pleasure!"

"What did we do?!"

Menma listened to their outcry like music. He then stepped forward closer to their group, making them all go silent. Without any sign of warning, he snatched away a young boy from their mother. His men stepped in to pen the woman down from trying to get her child back. He dragged the boy only a good bits away by his hair and turned their fretting self around to face the people. "I've been sent here to deal with traitors to the kingdom and a witch! To crush a rebellion and purge the unrighteous! Meaning every single one of you!"

"NOOOO!" The mother cried out above the people, thrashing almost as much as her baby. "PLEASE! DON'T HURT MY CHILD-"

How many times had he heard the same scream? The same plea? The same pain?

Ever since birth.

Menma twitched a little, yanking the lad squirming in his hand like a doll. When said kid stopped wiggling against him after that near brain damaging shake, he ordered,"Sing!"

The child wasn't the only one stunned by the request. His mother on the other hand leaped at any chance she thought she could have of saving her son. "I'll sing!"

"No. I want the boy to sing. The children made this song about me. I don't doubt he knows it."

"We don't sing any ill will abo-"

"Do you want your son to be the first?" Menma was done with the begging. He withdrew his claymore with his free hand, being the only man alive to be able to do so. Swiftly he held it just beneath the child's throat, forcing him to stay still and making their head tilt a bit at the angle.

Silence fell like the lives he took from the village and the lives he was yet to take.

"Sing." He wasn't going to ask again.

So the little boy now in tears, bit back his fear for his mother's life and began to sing an eerie little tune, focusing on the ladybug on the knight's sword.

 _"His hair is the shade of death._  
_And his eyes the brightest abyss._  
_So be weary of his hands young miss._  
_Or you'll find yourself snapped in a ditch."_

Another jerk by his spiky, short and jet black hair, encouraged him to keep going.

 _"Oh no, do you think you are safe?_  
_You think being male secures your fate?_  
_Sorry to say but his hands don't debate._  
_Nor his sword or the age at his blade."_

He took a deep breath in many tears and went on.

 _"He's the cruelest warrior to live._  
_And all at the third king's will._  
_He's like a demon always ready to kill._  
_Best believe and run for the hills._  
_For no one can best this enigma."_

"Finish it!" The knight pushed him closer to the blade when he hesitated.

_"And love will always run from Menma!"_

Those were the last words from the village.

* * *

 

**~~ Once upon a time, again... ~**

* * *

 

Those were not the last words of four stolen children in a specific period of modern time.

Each varied in age, appearance, and mind.

The redhead was 14.

The smart one was 13.

The puppy like one was 11.

The proudest one was also 11.

The youngest newest one was only 10.

Each young male stood side by side in the pouring thunder, facing a dark tunnel.

Above the tunnel stood four looming figures.

The tallest of the figures on the right end spoke, his voice heavier than the rain and louder than the thunder, "The road is a treacherous place!"

The second figure to the speakers left responded with a booming question, "Why is it treacherous?!"

"Because one's past can come back to haunt us! All it needs is a path and in its wake," the main speaker figure paused, pulling a gun from his coat and raising it in the air, "lay destruction and wraith!"

The lesson continued down the line to the left to the third. "You boys are not the haunted! You are the hunter! Luck is an excuse for the unprepared! Do any of you feel lucky?!"

"NO!" shouted the neat redhead.

"NO!" shouted the smart one whose black hair was up in a ponytail.

"Heh, NO!" shouted the playful puppy like one who had two cute, girly, hair pins in his hair and triangle marks on his cheeks.

"NEVER!" shouted the proudest one with long black hair free falling.

"I-I..want to go home…" The smallest one shivered and hugged his wet body, dropping to his knees in tears, blond spiky hair drooping. "I WANT TO GO HOME!" he screamed again, that little voice making a wave through the storm nonetheless. He couldn't do this anymore. He never wanted to do this. He never asked for this. He didn't understand how he got here. He didn't know where his parents were. Why did they leave him? What did he do? Why...WHy..WHY?! He called out from the inside over and over.

The third figure watched his student wither and cry like the child it was. This was for his own good. "Drag him!"

POW! Off went the gun, bullet rippling through the rain.

Of course the small child didn't hear such an order, but he heard the gunshot. Within seconds, his arms were pulled from around his body. His chest and stomach were soaked even further as he was dragged through the mud by the other kids into the dark, scary, and unforgiving tunnel. He shut those pretty eyes of his tight and held onto the forearm of whoever was pulling him.

Deep into the dimly lit darkness out of ear shot, the little child heard a kind voice as he was let go. Opening his eyes slowly, he came upon equally kind emerald that were always there whenever he was afraid. "I-Ishida!"

"You should try to walk on your own now, Menma. The wetter you get, the higher the chances you'll get sick."

That wasn't his name, but he knew better than to not answer to it so he said, "Why do we h-have to do this?!"

Moriku knelt down on eye level with the new kid and gave him a thunk on the forehead. "Because you'll die, idiot."

"Don't do that, Moriku!" Ishida glared at the mean pony-tailed kid that stood back up.

"Last time I checked, I can say whatever the hell I want, Ishida." Moriku grumbled lazily, hands in his soaked jacket pockets. "I'm tired of his uselessness."

"Guys! Neji is leaving us!"

"Let him, Umi!"

Toriumi sat there crouched, looking back from them then to Neji's sprinting form, worried."But Ishida...he'll- he'll..he'll be the only one to get to eat again!"

"Umi- DON'T!" But it was to late. No matter what Ishida said next, the puppy boy was gone.

"Fuck this. I'm out of here."

"Moriku…not again."

Moriku stopped with his back to them and said, "You know, to be as smart as you are, Ishida, I'd thought you would of cut your losses with this deadweight days ago," before walking off.

The one called Menma began to cry again, sitting up and hugging onto Ishida. They were the only one that understood. He himself couldn't help but feel bad for constantly holding him back though. "I-I'm- I'm so s-sorry, I-Ishida! I just can't! I want-"

"I know, I know." Ishida nodded, hugging the young child back tight. "You want to go home."

"YES!"

"We can't! Not for a while at least." He ran his fingers through messy blond hair, seeing that calmed the child down most when he first got there. "You have anyone back home that makes you happy when you think about them?"

"...Yes.."

"Good! I want you to think about them over and over again. Remember to say there name in your head because sooner or later you're going to forget."

"No I won't!" He clung onto Ishida tighter, remembering he'd promised himself he'd never let that happen.

"Prove it then, think about them." This was something that calmed Ishida down for the longest while during his first year at the compound. Of course now, he couldn't for the life of him remember who or what he thought about. As would the young child in his arms succumb to eventually.

Forgetting.

When he thought Menma was relaxed enough, he got him up and they walked hand in hand through the tunnel. They did their best to maneuver together around bob wire, pitfalls, and concussion bombs. Injuries were inevitable, blood ran thick, and headaches led to temporarily blurred vision, but they made it out together.

"Ishida, Ishida, Ishida!" The main speaker before their little race, approached his kind-hearted student that had fallen to the ground with the dead-last just outside the tunnel. The closer he got, the quicker his pretty little redhead made sure they were standing by the time he got there. After the man took a knee in front of the children, he caressed the gingers dirty face. "Still so warm."

Ishida winced and flinched away, never looking at the horrible man that could send him into a panic attack at any moment. "Can I take Menma to the quarters now? We...We need to get cleaned."

"You both failed."

"Don't you think starving us is enough?" He kept his eyes down, wincing again when the man got near him. The action made him hold his breath, only to feel his mentors own heated one on his neck and ear, making him sick, scared, and nearly triggering a episode again. He fought it back whenever he was around his friends to save them from worry.

"You may get cleaned, but tell me, are you still mad I got Umi? You know he can always replace you...in certain services that is."

Menma hated whenever this guy would talk to Ishida. He always made the redhead cry, hide, go mute, or disappear for hours at a time for reasons which he was too young to understand. Feeling bold, he thought he could stand up for him for once. "L-Leave him alone!"

"What?!" The man snapped.

"He said nothing! ….Obito, please." Ishida then brought his arm from around the blond child's waist and moved the respected hand over said kid's eyes. He didn't need to see this.

Menma was now back in the dark again, but he could hear Ishida suddenly whimper and then, nothing. They were at least back walking again after a minute or so had passed, but he still couldn't see anything. "I-Ishida?"

"Yes…."

"Are you okay?"

"...How's a nice warm bath sound, Menma?"

"That sounds almost better than food!" Menma could hear Ishida's light laugh and that made him feel accomplished and relaxed. Though he was still held in the dark, he was kept close and so felt safe.

The warm bath then proved to be the most inviting thing in the world. Even if it was only for 60 seconds. They made the most of it got cleaned up and dried off. While walking back to the small resting area in their standard beige pajamas, a little someone had a thought.

"Hey, Ishida. Why are they so mean?"

Ishida shrugged, holding the child's hand. "They'll tell you their little backstory when it's time."

"How long will that be?" Menma frowned, fearing the answer to show how long he'd have to stay there.

 _'Till your last memory fades...maybe even this one.'_  Of course he didn't tell the new kid this thought. "A long while, Menma."

"Oh…"

"It won't be all be bad. You'll have us." He gave the blond child's hand a squeeze, getting a smile from him.

"You mean I have you! Moriku and the others hate me!"

"No they don't!"

"Uhuh! Toriumi tried to ea-"

"Ignore that! That's not him." Ishida interrupted pulling him along quickly, their rest area right ahead. "He's...Our mentor is a.."

"A monster." Menma sniffled, finishing for him.

"Correct."

"I can hear you guys from in here!" Moriku grumbled out as they finally came inside and shut door. He sat there on his cot in indian style with his hair down, glaring at them. "You want five days in the box on top of going hungry tonight?"

"No, Moriku." Ishida smiled, helping Menma over to his own cot across from the grumpy smart kid. To their surprise, on the new kids bed was a piece of paper with a small chunk of bread and cheese on it. "Awww, Mori-"

"I did it for you, not for him." Moriku then shifted back in his bed, pushing the covers up so he could get under. "If he's weak tomorrow when we move, you're just going to suffer with him."

"That's still kind of you."

"Thank you!" Menma shouted in a whisper, climbing on top the bed and going to town on the meal that wasn't no where near going to fill him.

"Slow down, Menma," Ishida warned on his way to his own cot by the smart kid, "if you leave crumbs, it'll attract rats." At his bed, he found a piece of paper with his favorite, a slice of red apple. "Moriku?!"

"Keep your voice down for fucks sake, Ishida!... It's nothing!" Moriku slipped under the covers and turned his back to him. Softly he asked, "That is your favorite, isn't it?"

Ishida beamed, jumping up on his bed and grabbing the slice. "Of course!" he responded excitedly, taking a small bite. "Mmm!"

"You two are weird…"

"And you're not so bad as I thought you were!" Menma mumbled out through chews.

"Hmph, what are you talking about? The next time you win, your meal is mine."

"Fair, fair. Hey, you guys want to know something weird I just remembered?" The new kid sat there on his bed with this thoughtful look on his face, mouth half full with the last bits of food.

"Sure, Menma."

"I don't care."

"Well, I'm going to tell you anyway, Moriku." Shouldn't of gave him food. "My best friend is allergic to apples!"

"How about that?" Ishida chuckled, still savoring his little gift.

"Your best friend isn't here. It's only been your second week and I'm sick of hearing about the pale bastard and your rich parents already! So shut it or I'll tell your mentor your babbling about them again!" Moriku then brought a pillow over his head.

"Sorry!" He realized then why Ishida always told him to keep it in his head. Frowning again, he lifted the paper and funneled the crumbs into his mouth. He crumbled it up afterwards and tossed it into the bin nearby. He then looked to the empty cot next to him and then to Ishida. "Is Toriumi not sleeping here tonight again?"

"No."

"And Neji?"

"Him too. They both won 1st and 2nd, remember?" Ishida finished, tossing away the the now balled up paper. "You need to brush up on the rules around here. We'll go over them tomorrow as we pack, okay?"

"Okay." Menma sighed, choosing to stay up for bit. "Goodnight you guys."

"Goodnight, Menma," Ishida said back, kindly.

Moriku muffled out, "Try not to makes jokes or sing some stupid song again, deadweight. You know I can't fall asleep till midnight."

"I won't. I'll behave from now on, for you guys," Menma promised, looking out the barbed window at the storm going on outside.

Of the two promises he made there, he was only able keep one.


	2. My Friend

_~(MODERN DAY) The Phone Call ~_

_**"Sasuukkeeee! My budddyyyy! Hey! We're back and I will be seeing you soon! C-Can you hear me?! I have so much to tell you! Huh? No, Mama! The rocks were cool! The one I got is awesome! Sasuke! Sasuke! You're going to love it!"** _

At the Uchiha estate during a raging storm, their nine-year old heir was sitting on the couch laughing on the phone at his hyper friends state. "I read you loud and clear, boss! I can't wait to see you guys!" He added in a little salute though his friend couldn't see.

_**"And my rock, right?!"** _

"Heh, and the rock! Was that fair really all that fun though?" Sasuke smiled, getting up off the couch to walk around the fluffy sand carpeted living room area with a free arm out to mimic that of an airplane. "Was there a castle?"

_**"Budddd! There was a huge castle! Like big enough for our family to all live there! Mom says four kings shared it! Dad didn't think it was a good idea. Apparently they all got killed, Sasuke!"** _

Sasuke stopped in his tracks, horrified. "Why would you want us to live there?! It sounds haunted!"

_**"No, no, no! It's not haunted! And I never said we should live there! I said it's big enough to-Wah?! NOOO! I can't talk to him on the way?! But moomm-Fineee! I gotta go, Sasuke. It's dangerous to be on the phone during a storm or something..."** _

The little raven pouted, but preferred his friends safety above all else. "Then you better go! We can talk when you get here! I love you!"

_**"And IIIIIIIII will always LOVE YOUUUU-Okay, okay, mommy! Bye, buddyy!"** _

He snickered at his friends singing. "Byyee, bosss!"

That phone call took place a little over an hour ago.

Sasuke had been entertaining himself meanwhile by pretending to fly around the living room. He made the noises and turns like any child would thanks to their imagination. He thought about his best friend since birth flying with him. That kid was the one he was on the phone with. His name is Uzumaki Naruto. He's a most joyful ten-year old with the power to make everyday an adventure for the raven. They were destined to be this way since both were home schooled aside from other things.

Therefore, there was nothing they didn't do together if they could help it. This trip his friend had taken without him on the other hand, was all for them to at least have some time apart.

Courtesy of their parents.

 _'I wonder what's taking so long!'_  Sasuke groaned to himself as he came to a halt with his hands on his hips. It was getting a little late, but his friend had a bad habit of being tardy even for little events. He supposed it was the rains fault for the delay this time.  _'I'll just have to prepare early then without him.'_  With that high spirited conclusion, he started to pull out the couch cushions one by one.

He only stopped when his mother came around the corner from the kitchen with her head down and ring hand over her mouth. She was shaking a little with the silver lined house phone dangling and trembling in the other as if she was about to drop it.

"Mama?"

At that, she lost grip of the phone just as she fell to her knees. Her hands swiftly draped over her face to hide the evading tears, catching strands from her lengthy raven hair in the process.

Sasuke then went up and embraced his mother with his small arms to the best of his abilities.

"Hey, it's okay. The storm will pass soon." He assured her with a pat on the back, assuming she'd lost connection to someone important on the line again.

More footsteps from the kitchen signaled the approach of his father. The man had a mournful aura about himself from his usual stoic presence. He took a knee next to his wife and placed a hand on her back.

 _'What did dad do now?'_  He was sure that was the case since they'd been arguing a lot lately about his mother's missing relative she'd found existed some days ago.

"Sasuke, Naruto isn't coming over." Fugaku took the burden, seeing as though his wife was struggling.

"Umm, yes he is. He promised?" Sasuke unlatched himself from his mother with an offended tone, for they knew as much as he did that Naruto always kept his promise.

"No he isn't, son." He pleaded with his voice for his child to understand, coming to grips that he himself likely couldn't do it.

"Dad, we talked like an hour ago on the phone and he said he was coming sooo." With a shrug of those small shoulders and content on his face, he headed back in the living room to finish the setup. "He's going to tell me aallll about his trip when he gets here too! From the rocks to the big scary castle! I think..." He paused mid motion thoughtfully from pulling another cushion out. "I think he said it wasn't haunted though."

Fugaku sighed wearily, standing back up. Before he could go get his kid, his wife tugged on his belt. He then looked down to grieving onyx that reflected his own heart.

"I'll do it." Mikoto took a deep breath and so accepted the helping hand off the floor from her husband, determined to go through with this. While wiping the tears away, she headed on over to her child, plopping down on his level and straightening out her navy day dress afterwards. Carefully, she captured her son's busy hands within her own.

"Sasuke, love, look at me." She spoke softly with a breaking voice that made the raven child blink at her in confusion.

"Naruto and his parents were in an accident on their way over here..They-...Naruto didn't make it. I'm sorr-"

"What?" Sasuke jerked away from his mother as if she'd just slapped him.

Mikoto took in another deep breath and held herself together for the sake of her son. She tried to get a hold of his hands again, but to no avail. "Sasuke, come here. You...You need to listen to me-"

"Why should I?!"

"Don't raise your voice at your mother!" Fugaku ordered, influenced by the rising tension.

"But she's the one lying! I just talked to him so he's fine!"

"That was hours ago, Sasuke!" Mikoto screamed back unintentionally, fist scrunching up her dress.

Silence then seized control of the room as Sasuke stared at his mother's sobbing form.  _'She's a liar…just like dad always says.'_  He told himself that over and over again though outside he was trembling out of fear that what she was saying was remotely possible.

"Son.."

He stepped away in shock from his father's sudden closeness. Not liking this 'liar liar game' anymore, he pushed past his mom and dad only to be stopped at the spiral stairs by his older brother. When he saw Itachi share the same look as his parents, he glanced back to them. His heartbeat soon picked up with his breathing as the truth started to force its way in his chest. He fought it back with raging denial and tried to push past his taller sibling. "Move! He's coming over! I need to get our stuff!"

Itachi caught his distraught little brother around the waist and held him close, slender fingers finding their way through jagged raven locks.

"Let me go, Itachi!"

He sat down on the steps and continued to ruffle the now crying child's hair.

"It's going to hurt for a while….but we'll get through it. " Itachi tried his best to take on a braver role with previous experience. He wanted to sound as reassuring as possible though he was unstable himself.

Sasuke paused for a minute with the streams still coming. When he couldn't fight it anymore, he held onto his brother and poured out his pain. His mother soon found herself losing it too in her husband's arms.

Nothing appeared like it could hurt worse than now, for that child had such an impact on their lives that it was only expected he'd have a greater one once gone.

Later on that day, when they could speak to each other without falling apart, they told their kids how Naruto and his parents were on their way here after he had called. They were later attacked along the way by unknown assailants in another vehicle. The gunfire and the rain caused them to swerve off the road into a little field off by a liquor store.

Their pursuers were seen getting out of the car to probably finish the job but they didn't get a chance to as the cops showed up. Minato, Kushina, and their new driver, Jiraiya, had each been hit but the child was reported to be wounded fatally. Kushina tried to stop the bleeding for as long as she could despite her own injuries. But with him being so young, he was pronounced dead before they got to the hospital.

Sasuke let it all sink in with his brother beside him for support, equally needing it. His anger, frustration, misery, confusion...everything to equal utmost grief, overflowed again at that moment. And it lasted over to the wake before the funeral some weeks later when he thought he couldn't cry anymore.

The gathering itself took place at their favorite park down by the dock bay closest to the woods. Everyone dressed in the traditional black for the occasion except Sasuke. He wore his friends blazing orange hoodie and some jeans with converses, feeling it more appropriate. With everyone hidden safely under the matching tent as it rained again, he stuck close to his brother, burying his face in the other's pants leg, not wanting to look as they carried the closed casket of his friend in. The only thing he couldn't ignore was their voices when it came to that time.

"Before I begin, I'd like to ask for everyone to pray for our new friend, Jiraiya. He became such before he became our driver. He damn near gave his life to protect us, so please keep him in your prayers." Minato then cleared his throat as his wife gave his hand a squeeze on the podium. "So, um, our child was...Naruto was..He was so much. It's overwhelming in itself to even try to explain let alone think about it... I can surely say if he were here...Well, we'd all be having the happiest mud fight of our lives...Even you Fugaku! Don't hide it. Hell, Jiraiya would have probably been the first one initiated. " He chuckled along with the crowd, seeing his old friends smile and nod giving him some aid.

"Yeah. That's my...he could bring out the best part of you..."

"Which he gets from me by the way!" Kushina added with a finger up, relieving more tension and the first smile she'd shed in a week.

Her husband nudged her playfully before continuing, "Ah, yes of course. My lovely wife and I always fought over which of us he favored more inside...If you're a married man then you already know that she won. And if you disagree then you haven't met my son's 'magical' godmother."

"That would be me!" Tsunade raised her white star gloved hand, tears coming from her eyes despite the mirth she tried to display. "Incase anyone wants to challenge for the title!"

Minato nodded. "Ah yes, be careful you guys. She'll curse you for real. Just kidding! Our son wouldn't think I was though. He loves her to death and her circus. He loves mystery almost as much as he loves to laugh and sing! So, you can all thank him for the jokes! You see, he always tried to share that laughter whenever anyone was down and so this is our way of-of...of..." And like a breaking point, that little amount of relinquished pain came back tenfold and shattered him. The shock and gripping lost locked on his face when he realized he'd never be able to return the favor. It weighed him down to the point where his wife had to support him up.

It was Fugaku that stepped up for them then and ordered everyone to line up and pay their respects. He received a silent whisper of 'Thank you' from Kushina which he returned with a nod and a small smile. They didn't have to go through this alone if he could help it. After all, they'd been there for his family during crucial times in his own marriage.

By the end of the wake, only the grieving couple and their child's best friend and his family remained to give their respects and or goodbyes in silence. It felt like forever, and Sasuke wasn't and hadn't planned on saying goodbye at all or anytime soon. He tightened his hold on his brother's pants, refusing to open his eyes still.

"Sasuke," Kushina said gently, feeling the need to address him now especially.

He looked up at her, gulping and clinging on more but listening.

"Thank you for wearing his hoodie...I know he loved that."

Minato agreed with a nod, coming over and taking a knee in front of the kid. "You know he couldn't wait to come over," he partially whispered as if a secret with a poke to Sasuke's nose, "As soon as we got off the plane, he called you and made plans. We weren't allowed to go home till he saw you… I think he loved you a little too much."

Sasuke looked down, blushing faintly, wiping a tear that had broke free. "I loved him too.."

Itachi petted his little brother. "We all did."

"Well, I hate to tell you all this, but he liked Sasuke a lot more." Minato smiled, scratching the back of his head as all but the blushing youngest laughed. He'd wanted to give the raven child something to light up about.

"Don't tease him." His wife snickered, reaching in her purse and pulling out a necklace. "...I do agree that he felt strongly though. So I believe he'd want you to have this."

Sasuke eyed the strange pallid green gem attached to a black string. He then accepted it eagerly, putting it on with no intentions on taking it off.

"It's from the expedition activity during our vacation. He picked it out himself…" She gestured.

With a slight tap from his older brother, he quickly said, "Thank you!" He'd been observing the necklace, seeing why his buddy had picked it. It was...calming.

"You're very much welcome, and thank you all for showing up."

"This really means alot to us." Minato reinforced, giving out hugs to them all with his wife, for no one really had to stay afterwards with them. It was kind of the Uchiha family to do so anyway. That warm notion can make things look like they'd might get better from there if not slowly.

But time didn't heal in this life.

Over the next few days they never even came to close to finding out why those people attacked them, nor who they were. Days turned into months and months turned into years. It got to the point where the police had to stop looking and put the case on hold. Minato and Kushina then tried their best to move on and even have another child, but they just couldn't replace their first. They eventually had to move by the order of the witness protection program once more cases like theirs started to link themselves with others. The move may have helped them become a little safer, but it separated them from their closest friends without a word.

The Uchiha Family never knew what had happened to them, nor saw or heard from them for years after their disappearance. Eventually they tried to just forget about the Uzumakis' all together. Their youngest child on the other hand, refused to and in truth, couldn't.

_\::/ Three Years after the Uzumaki Family Departure \::/_

The loud strike of lightning followed by the drums of thunder boomed outside a now groggy seventeen year old raven's window, startling him into an upright position at his newspaper folds and clipping littered desk. As he was sitting there in his dingy, white tank top, he gripped the precious gem, trying to calm himself down. Storms had become his enemy ever since that day, scaring the shit out of him into flashbacks. His racing mindset was interrupted by his alarm going off, alerting it was 7:30 AM.

"Nhm." Sasuke grumbled and slumped back down, resting his forehead on the desk with a firm grip on the necklace still. After the alarm kept insisting he wasn't awake, he leaned over and used his free hand to smack it blindly to silence. He understood the time for school was nigh, but it wasn't as important as his two year investigation. With a big yawn, he switched on his lamp light.

Back to work.

"Let's see if we got anywhere last night, boss," he said aloud with a partial smile, twirling the gem in one hand while splaying out the clippings evenly with the other.

"Well, first off is a recap since there's nothing new in the last, what? Year or so? All we know is there are three more kids that were taken way to soon just like you... then the parents went missing likely due to protection purposes and such," He stopped to give out one more big yawn, stretching this time to work out the weariness.

Once feeling awake enough, his index found its way in separating the deceased trio from the order they reportedly disappeared. First was a clipping of a despondent ginger child named Gaara with no released last name and no parents, oddly. Second was of a spiked pony-tailed kid named Shikamaru with no last name released either. The third one was a clip of a little boy named Kiba hugging a small puppy at a birthday party. His last name wasn't released to the public either as well.

"I still don't get why they hid theirs but not yours?" Sasuke pondered aloud, standing up, eyes locked to the one big piece of newspaper article that read  _~ESTEEMED UZUMAKI FAMILY DEALS IN LOSS OF THEIR 10 YEAR OLD SON~_  . With it being smack in the center of his evidence board, he also got to see his old friends grinning face in black and white. And now he had more to add to the board thanks to the new ink for his printer that he finally got up enough to buy over the weekend again.

Granted, he could've used his school's library or the city's, but his brother and parents had made it difficult for him to work on his investigation in all possible ways including cutting him off financially, forcing him to find odd jobs.

Feeling determined even more now, he took each of their pictures and tacked them around Naruto's page in the center. He then pulled out the desk drawer full of office supplies and cut off a good long piece of the red yarn inside before closing it back. With that, he hooked it from his friend's pin to the other kids, linking them and making a squashed diamond shape.

"Okay Naruto, back to the overall picture. How many times can an attempted murder occur and kill only the child, but in four different time periods?" Sasuke stepped back, twirling the gem again, observing the board and all its other strings leading to points of various sizes.

"It shouldn't happen more than twice. The department must have clearly got that far too and so became more careful with information released. Which might explain your last name being an intentional slip to be different since you were the last…Or that might just be a needless point!" He took a couple of breaths to calm down and then followed a yellow string over to the only shot to exist of the vehicle and the suspects at the liquor store.

He tapped it with his index and thought,  _'Even still, these are the only leads of identification in years... A black armored jeep and white cloaked figures aren't much to go on, boss.'_  They definitely didn't want to be caught, so the question of why waste time targeting varying status families arose. _'Naruto...you were the only wealthy child out of the four killed. So if this isn't for money, then for what? And if for money somehow ,why the other families? Why does the child always die?!'_  Infuriated, coming back to the same expandable questions for years, he grabbed a pillow and screamed into it until his brother came barging in.

Itachi flipped on all the lights as in routine before actually spotting his sibling mid tantrum amongst the pig sty of a room. "Um, we have to go to school. Rain or hail, remember? That includes all nighter scooby doo work too."

The teen rolled his eyes, tossing the pillow back on the bed. He knew his older sibling didn't like that he'd devoted his life to this but that didn't matter. "I'm staying home today. I've got better things to do."

"Really? Fine. I'll just have to change the wifi passwo-"

Sasuke gasped, grabbing hold of his laptop. "That's low even for you, Itachi! You know that's my only resource!"

Big brother shrugged. "Everything on the internet isn't always a hundred percent, so go get your ass ready for school. I'll be outside. You've got," he paused, checking his checkered band wrist watch before saying, "5 minutes."

Sasuke looked from his own alarm clock and then back to his brother. "We'll be late?"

"What's new?" He chuckled, closing the door.

"True..." With the shrug of defeat, Sasuke sluggishly tossed his laptop back to the bed and made his way to the bathroom, kicking in dresser drawers that got in the way and making sure he didn't slip on any magazines, pizza boxes, newspapers or books he had skewed all over other than his clothes. By the time he finished getting ready it was already well over 5 minutes. He then left the estate after he grabbed his book bag from the couch up front.

He'd taken his time because he knew the ride to school would be taxing with his brother's complaining, but it was always made worse whenever it rained.

When the younger kin by four years finally got in the blue Honda accord, the jewel was spotted right away. Why he thought that his little brother would have taken it off by now, he had no idea.

"Hey, it's been eight years, right? I think it's time to at least try to let go," he offered up that little tippet profoundly as he started up the car after seat belts were snapped in, "You can't keep living for him the wrong way."

Sasuke nodded heedlessly, clutching the little gem in his fingers while staring out the rain pelted window, the hood of his dark purple hoodie obscuring his face. "So are mom and dad going to be home for dinner tonight or are they finally getting a divorce?"

Oddly, his older brother didn't shut down like usual. "So you're prepared to accept their divorce if they get one, but not his death?"

"You are aware he has a name, Itachi?"

"Are you aware you're wasting your life? You haven't made any new friends, nor have you tried to by the way. You're always in your room on that damn laptop searching for answers that don't exist and or are false!"

Sasuke scoffed. "And you would know they're false how?!"

"I already told you. It's the fucking internet!" Itachi gripped the steering wheel.

"Well then, Mr. 'I know Fucking Everything', where would you recommend I go get my information? The police? I'm not allowed over there anymore, remember? Thanks to dad! Mom also has me on watch at the public library and you did the same thing at the school to me! So where am I to go?! Thanks to you guys everyone thinks I'm insane anyway!" His hold on the gem tightened as he shoved his hoodie back, turning furiously to his brother in the driver seat. "None of you even want to acknowledge they existed anymore!"

"What for? They're gone! They left, not us! They chose not to tell anyone! They chose to leave us behind! We didn't! We-...I-I mean.. Just move on, please!" Itachi sniffled, wiping the faint eluded tear off his face with his forearm, revealing something he never wanted his little brother to see. "What? The window was down a bit…. You don't have a smart comment now?!"

Sasuke backed off, sitting up straight in his seat. He peeked at his brother, spotting him looking away to fight back his pent up feelings. He now understood. His brother felt betrayed... _'Why didn't you just tell me?'_  He couldn't say those words aloud, knowing the other wasn't ready to talk about it. For his brother's sake, he'd change the topic. "So...since it's pep rally friday, I was thinking I'd skip out and go visit you on campus...We could hang out before I had to go back."

Itachi nodded, coughing briefly and putting that facade of a smile back on. "Sure. That'll definitely calm my nerves down so I don't chop Kisame's head off! He always takes the whole live art project thing to damn seriously. You know he painted himself blue yesterday? And dyed his hair blue? And painted on gills?!"

"Yeah, but you'll kiss that old ass shark anyway," he mumbled, smiling when his older brother laughed.

Itachi hit the top of the wheel before ruffling his little brother's hair. " You observant little shit."

"Aha, so I'm right?" He asked with a grin, trying his best to avoid the contact.

The driver then shrugged, smiling to himself. "Eh, he still tries to propose to me. I'm like dude...you're dressed as a shark right now. "

"So you still said no?" Sasuke chuckled a tad. The small laugh faded when he saw his brother's face. "Wait..did you say ye-"

"Yes! I-I did. I mean, I kind of..I did."

"Wow."

"Careful who you judge, little brother. I bet if Naruto were here, he'd be happy for me though I could never understand why he didn't like Kisame."

"Hah, you finally said it..." Sasuke smiled more inside and out. It was the first time in a long while that Itachi had said at least one of their names.

"I hope you noticed that 'were' part too." That was in no way said in a harsh tone. It was delivered as a light attempt to reach his little brother in a different way.

All it accomplished was the complete shutdown of the younger raven for the rest of the ride despite the previous joyous news.

When they finally reached the younger teen's high school in silence, they made a stop at the entrance driveway. With the car in park temporarily at the drop off, Sasuke made his way out of the vehicle.

"Hey! Try to have a good day, okay?" Itachi said with a smile to his brother getting out of the car. "And please talk to people!"

"After you tell mom and dad you're engaged to him," Sasuke said with a roll of his eyes and close of the door. He didn't mean to be an asshole. He was just anti-social for many reasons he'd rather not be reminded about. His brother, thankfully, decided to simply leave.

So on the young raven went. Due to the fact he was late, there wasn't really anyone in the hallway. He was able to stroll along in silence, hands in his front hoodie pocket till thunder roared out of nowhere, making the raven jump and crash shoulder first against the lockers, gripping that necklace again. His panicking state faltered upon catching a glimpse of familiar blond hair down the hall.

He zeroed in on the blue eyed teen with the whiskered marks on his cheeks. Blinking twice didn't change the body as it walked on into the ongoing hall around the corner. _'His face…He almost looks...'_  The memories hit him hard and drove his urge to know. He jogged on up quietly, rounding the corner just to see no one there.

He then brought a hand up to rake through his bangs and push them back.

"The hell? Did my brother hit me somehow…" Sasuke questioned his own health and sanity aloud while bringing said hand to his forehead and then down over his face. After minutes of revising, noting his friend never had those marks, he shook it off and headed on to class where he froze involuntarily in the doorway.


	3. New Kid

There standing in front of the class was the guy from the hallway. He looked so much like an older version of his friend up close that it was impossible not to acknowledge it. Almost everything from the face fitted to his memory perfectly. The only thing that was throwing him for a loop was the whiskers. Then again, they looked like scars more than tattoo marks of some kind.

The peculiar new teen was slumping back against the dashboard and had his head tilted the side as if bored.

"Mr. Uchiha, glad you could join us so late again," Kakashi chided after a minute passed, two good eyes cast the tardy student's way over a book. Though he'd been employed at the school for a year now, he still found it necessary to take a crack at the usual.

Sasuke remained there in pure befuddlement, not picking up on the subtle laughter from his classmates or his homeroom teacher's remark.

"Whenever you're done making an entrance, please take your seat so we can introduce our new student," he yawned out with a wave of his hand, the other holding the strange read to his chest, "Preferably, now."

Sasuke obeyed slowly and took a seat next to the cherry blossom haired female of the class near the front.

This girl was currently chewing hard as hell on some poor brand gum, scoping out the Uchiha. She nudged him out of wonder to why he was eyeing the new guy so much. "Hey, raven. What gives?"

Sasuke finally cut his eyes from the teen up front as soon as he felt her hand rather than heard her voice. "What?"

She just kept chewing that gum, rolling her eyes and turning away as the teacher spoke up.

"Everyone this here is Takeuchi Men-"

"NARUTO!" Sasuke blurted out in shock to everyone's surprise. He quickly covered his mouth after realizing that he was wrong for the moment. The more he had stared, the more the urge to know had drove him to speak his mind foolishly. He hung his head and apologized under his breath. "I-I'm sorry."

"Actually, Uchiha, our new student's name is Menma. You may take your seat, and you're welcome for the introduction." Kakashi gestured around before returning back to his book, not truly taking his attention off the outspoken.

Menma shrugged it off and then headed down one of the four aisles to the farthest seat in the back of the class.

"Wow! Your stalker game is off." Sakura poked with a sneer to her classmate, gum popping.

"What? NO! T-That's not even him!" He shot back, a tad to loud, pointing at the blond and freaking out, forgetting that he seriously kept to himself. So truly, no one but him really knew who Naruto was and or had long since forgotten.

She looked back to see the 'new kid' already going to sleep. "And who is him?"

"He- well..I had a friend that died and he doesn't have the same name as that guy but he does have the same hair color an-."

"Okay, okay! Well for one, I'm pretty sure even you are aware you just said, 'dead'. Second, everyone has a twin. Third, if that guy was the 'dead kid' you're yapping about, then how come he doesn't look like he knows you, love? Anyone can take a second to see that." Her questions and statements brought on a bunch of murmurs among the other students, leading them to think that the raven loner might have lost it completely from solitary all these years.

Kakashi had learned enough. "Uchiha, Haruno, quiet or go the principal's office."

Sasuke hyperventilated to himself. He mentally tried to accept those questions pelted at him. He then tried to calm down, but how could he? He thought about texting his brother or calling the cops. His phone had been taken up during PE yesterday due to investigating on gym time so that was a no go. ' _Stop breathing so damn hard!'_ he yelled at himself inside, holding the crystal. He could ask to leave the class. Doubt was a terrible habit though. ' _...It's not him!...What if it is?'_  With a quick glance back at the familiar and still adorable sleeping face of the blond, he made his fretting worse.

"Hey, ravey the stalker. Where'd you get that necklace from again?' Sakura whispered, gesturing on the sly with her pencil.

He ignored the insolent girl and pretended to draw on the worksheet readily prepared for him with a pencil from his pocket. He pretended so hard that he broke it. Out of nowhere, a replacement balanced in his face, held by the end eraser. He nodded a thank you to Sakura who oddly just shrugged and flipped through her text book. ' _What's her deal?'_  Now that he thought about it, he didn't know a damn thing about her besides her name only because she'd made a entrance when she first got there a week ago.

That wasn't so bad since he actually didn't know anything about anyone else in the class that had been there for longer. Perhaps he should take his brother's advice. What's the point now that Naruto was back...if it was Naruto. ' _I just...I need to talk to him!_ ' Sasuke told himself to ease his spinning mind.

After the class period ended by the sound of the bell, he immediately scooped up his things and gave Sakura back her pencil before making his way to the back. He then poked the sleeping teen on the shoulder, emotions overflowing.

"Nhnn, what?" the blond mumbled while he sat up and stretched with a smile to the raven.

"You are Taki- something Menma, correct?" Sasuke dropped his bag on the desk and grabbed hold of the sides to lean in and stare into the other's eyes. He was hoping to find any sign of the boy he knew, but nothing was lurking there in those dim azure orbs but amusement and disturbance.

"Um, yes? That's somewhat me."

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke." He motioned to himself, hoping it was his friend just having a moment of memory lapse. "I've...Have you ever been-"

"Look, that's nice and all, but I really have to go to my other class." Menma let his words linger to hint that he was still a bit freaked out from earlier. He then grabbed his book bag and left his desk and the class in a hurry.

Sakura pocketed her cell she'd been texting on after she was done. "You coming or not, raven?"

Sasuke froze, wondering how the hell he'd reached this point. The new kid had no idea who he was and therefore clearly wasn't his old friend at all..or was he? Confused beyond belief, he then made his way to his next class with Sakura following him along for reasons he didn't understand, nor wanted to know. During the walk they witnessed the new kid already making friends and also appearing to make a fool of himself.

"But he looks just like him…His hair...eyes..." Sasuke went on and off while clutching his backpack straps, seeing the blond laugh with some short plum haired girl he'd never seen before. ' _He would prefer girls though...'_  He'd come to grips with his own sexuality a long time ago, but that didn't mean he'd force his feelings on his friend. ' _What the hell am I thinking about?! That's not even him!'_

"You really think it's him besides that fact that your bud's dead as shit from the sound of it? This guy is a complete idiot!" she said with a fleeting nod to the new kid reading the school map upside down, making the girl he was with giggle more. "A flirting idiot by the looks of it. Was that your friend?"

The raven shook his head from left to right, all hope sinking. Maybe she was right. It could be one huge terrible coincidence since those whisker marks were never there before..and his friend surely wouldn't be that much of an idiot at this age. He could go on and on about the major differences personality wise but those certain facial features were very debatable. Those whiskers could also be scars.

"Let's go to class, raven."

He finally noticed the nickname, grumbling a curse and pushing past her into the science room. Before he could even sit down, his name blared out on the intercom.

" _ **Uchiha Sasuke, please haul ass to the principal's office."**_ The crude tone of their elderly principal filled the unruly classroom and triggered all the students to lock on the teen being called up. Seeing no reason why he should care, he left the class quick. He unfortunately came by the blond on the way, apparently struggling with the map more. The young girl was out of sight.

"Like this, moron," he mumbled while flipping the map for the guy on the way pass. He could feel the other's glare but didn't pay it much attention.

Sasuke kept on his walk to the elevator to get to the office on the second floor. When he stepped inside and pressed the button to go up, a hand came out to stop the closing doors. The new kid himself then worked his way in all noisy like.

"I'm on the wrong floor." He chuckled, scratching the back of his head with an embarrassed lift of his shoulders.

The raven rolled his eyes and stayed to his side, arms crossed. All that festered inside him now was hate. Hate that grew more and more he shared the same space with the awful mimic. By keeping to himself and raging in his thoughts, of course he didn't notice the pair of blue eyes on him or the question.

"So, who are you again?"

"Keep the hell away from me." Before the new kid could even retort to that sudden outburst, the elevator dinged and Sasuke was gone, hood flipped over his head. With his hands returned back in his hoodie pocket, he made his way down the hall and entered the open office doorway where he was surprised to see Kakashi and not the actual principal inside.

The teacher motioned for him to have a seat, seeing as though the teen was just standing there at a loss. He'd expected some kind of response, not complete silence and obedience. He worked that to his advantage, jumping to the point right away. "You're outburst in class was interesting. Whose this Naruko or Narumo person? Is he a friend of Menma?"

Sasuke shrugged and rolled his eyes, taking off his book bag in a lazy fashion and sitting it down against the chair. While leaning back and shoving his hood off, he could see more that his teacher wanted a vocal response. "His name is Naruto, and no. Menma just looks like him," he said with a puff to his bangs getting in the way, "sorta.."

"Well I'd love to know about this similar him and how you know him." Kakashi took a seat on the edge of the desk, hands in his gray cashmere coat pockets.

If Sasuke didn't know any better, he'd say the man almost sounded like he was jealous. "Why does it matter? He was just an old friend of mine."

The teacher let out a sigh that was surely one of relief. He eased up off the desk, letting his feelings dictate that the issue was easily resolved now. "Good, good. I suggest you stay away from him then, Mr. Uchiha. "

"Whatever." The teen shrugged a second time, standing up just to slow down. His suspicious nature was fueled by what the teacher had then said. "Stay away from him? Why?"

For some reason, though good, the man stumbled, saying, "Well, I-I clearly meant Menm-"

"No, I know what you meant, but why? He..He really is Naruto isn't he? My Naru-" Sasuke stumbled, feeling a sudden severe sting to the back of his head before darkness overtook him. Now unconscious, he ended up caught in time by the teen responsible.

The assailant remained focus on his mentor though, confused. "Why did you want me to do that? I think he might actually know me, Kakashi!"

Kakashi sighed at the mess, cursing himself over and over again for getting caught up. With fingers pinching the ridge between his eyes, regret obvious, he said, "You need to avoid him as well, Menma. Remember? We can't have any distractions or altercations at this time."

Menma understood the mission. "...what if he knows me though? Maybe I could find-"

"WE ARE THIS CLOSE!" Kakashi didn't mean to snap like that, nor strike the desk. They really were inches away from the future he had planned out for them. And he didn't want it all to go to shit because of some retarded rich spaz from his blond's past that shouldn't exist.

"Alright then, Sensei."

Oh how he hated being called anything other than his name from his student. At least that was a clear sign that he knew his blond was ticked.

"Menma, I'm sorry," he pleaded in an attempt to end the conversation on good terms, "I only want what's best for you. Staying away from that kid is key. He's probably on something. Also, if he figures out what's going on, we'll all be in danger. Do you want that?"

Menma sighed, shaking his head, wishing he'd let the raven go on now instead of silencing him on cue. "No, Sensei…"

"Come on. Don't give me that face. It'll all be worth it. I promise," he reminded his prodigy with a ruffle to the sunny spiked hair, seeing that smile he adored so much, "See? It's already better." Feeling strongly, he gently brushed aside a patch and planted a kiss on Menma's forehead.

"Ahh! Seriously?" Menma jerked away from the laughing man, face red from humiliation. "I'm not a kid anymore!"

"I know." Kakashi chortled, backing off. With a smile of his own, he picked up the raven's backpack that had fell and gave it to his teen. "Just make sure you dump him off at the infirmary and report back. We're going through with the operation in a hour or so. If he keeps pestering you, I'll deal with him myself."

"Will do," Menma responded typically and cheerfully, having learned from the best. He then lifted the unconscious teen up bridal style and left the room.

With the map of the school memorized up, down, back to back and side to side in a matter of seconds, he could walk their blindfolded assuming it was up to date. This gave him time to observe Sasuke and the necklace around his neck. ' _How pale can you get? Damn...'_ He wasn't sure if he found it queer or unique. Switching view to the gem, it didn't look special like the stones...just calming. By the time he arrived at the infirmary, he had the raven's aspects, weight and height down to near science. ' _Do you eat at all?'_

Becoming aware of the nurse watching him now, he quickly dumped Sasuke off into the other's arms, informing that the student had passed out in the hall for reasons unknown. The nurse frowned at the little information given, carrying the teen anyway to the infirmary bed. There he worked, seeing no signs that the raven was sick of any nature. He did find a small knot in the back of his head that he guessed was from the fall.

Menma spent his time setting their book bags side by side on the floor against the bed. While the nurse finished with the check up, he himself kept an ear out, knowing full well he was over the time limit now to return. All he needed was a few minutes alone with the raven to find out if he really knew anything about his vague past. Surely his mentor could understand that.

"Well, he looks perfectly fine to me except for a bit of bruising in the back. We should let him rest nonetheless. Are you new here by the way? Mr. Hatake was telling everyone about having a new student earlier this morning! He's very passionate about teaching and-Ah! I'm sorry for my rambling! What's your name?" The older male made small talk, blushing as he washed his hands in the nearby sink, thinking about the kind teacher nonetheless.

"I am. My name's Takeuchi Menma ," the blond answered, taking a seat on a stool next to the patient to look out the window overhead.

"And it's a pleasure to meet you, Menma! You may call me Iruka." He smiled, drying his hands with a paper towel. "I'm the nurse here, but I also teach at the middle school across the-"

Menma had long since stopped listening when he saw four jeeps start to pull up. He turned his attention back to the raven on the bed, glaring at him a bit. ' _You better be worth this.'_

"-so you should probably get back to class and let him rest." Iruka suggested with a toss of the paper towel in the trash bin. When he didn't get a response, he took a step beside the distracted blond and tapped their shoulder. "Menma?"

"I'll just be a minute," Menma said offhandedly, for he was busy contemplating his options."

Iruka smiled, thinking the new student was being sweet by worrying for the Uchiha. "I'm going to go run to my office right quick and check the record's to make sure Sasuke doesn't have anything else going on. When I come back, you'll have to go to class, okay?"

"Okay. Please take your time." The blond added a convincingly bored tone to throw him off.

Iruka nodded and left the two, closing the door behind him.

As soon as Menma couldn't hear the nurse's footsteps anymore, he got up, took off his jacket and set it on the counter nearby. He then picked up his chair and propped it under the door handle. There were two blue thumbtacks on the bulletin board in the room that he took and placed the tips in his mouth. Over at the cabinet, he grabbed a blanket and covered the window up, using the tacks to hold it.

When all was done, he headed back over to the still sleeping teen. He had to know now. His whole life since thirteen on down had always been questionable to him. Yet this guy clearly knew something to cause a scene like that. At the same time, the raven didn't like him so this wasn't going to be easy. He took a breath, finding it hard to break from an order but he'd already come this far.

Sasuke moved around in his sleep peacefully until he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. He then sat up abruptly and clutched the fabric over the abused area only to realize the discomfort was gone as soon as it had came. He blinked a few times confused before looking up eventually to see the new kid staring down at him with a interested look on his face.

"Why are you..? Wait, how am I..Where?" He fumbled on his words as he tried to make sense of what had happened. He remembered he was just confronting Kakashi a while ago and then something weird happened?

Menma smiled and put on his coy act for a second to not frighten the younger male so soon, deciding to use his distress against him. He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned over asking, "Sasuke, right? You hit your head pretty hard."

"I hit my head? No I didn't… I was just in-" he faltered when the blond suddenly leaned in closer.

"Trust me, you hit it hard. Last name, Uchiha?"

"Yes..." Sasuke gulped with a glance over at the door to see the sheet and the chair. Warning alarms went off in his mind no matter how weirdly pleasant it was to be addressed. ' _Why the hell is the door blocked like that? Can you backup please?!'_ He didn't see why he couldn't speak these thoughts, but it worsened to barely being able to breathe when the blond edged closer.

' _He's such a coward...'_ Menma grinned, hands down on either side of the teen on the bed, indicating that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. "Well Uchiha, I need you to help me with something."

Sasuke shook his head, not liking the way that came out of the other's mouth. His fear spiked when lightning struck out of the blue. This caused him to latch on to the blond like he'd do when they were kids whenever he was scared.

Menma was so thrown off and tickled at this sudden panic that he couldn't resist laughing. "Damn, man. Did you shit yourself?"

"Fuck off!" Sasuke lashed out, pushing the jerk away. His breathing picked up as he tried to regain himself, face red with anger more than embarrassment. His friend would have never made fun of him like that. He then forced himself off the bed, grabbing his backpack and making his way to the door.

"Hey, I-heh. I'm sorry," Menma bit back another snicker when he saw the kid was actually upset. ' _This guy!'_ he thought, laughing again and half considering exploiting the teens fear to get what he wanted. While contemplating how he'd do that needlessly, he almost missed Sasuke's escape attempt. "Whoa there scaredy cat. Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from you, obviously!" Sasuke hissed, pulling out the chair from under the door.

Menma grinned and pulled the raven back by his book-bag with enough force to bring him to the floor. He then stepped over the startled teen, squatting down and forcing a hand over Sasuke's mouth so hard that he basically slammed the other's head to the floor slightly, generating a wince. "I really don't want to hurt you again, Sasuke. You're pushing it though. So try to behave. Are we clear?" He asked with a new authority like tone, grin fading.

Sasuke's fear induced adrenaline. He wanted to fight back until he saw the blond's free hand reach out over the counter and fumble around before coming back with a gun. A gun that's silencer was placed right between his eyes.

"Clear?" He asked again, patience growing thin because time was running out. When he received a nod of compliance, he eased up off the raven slowly. "Good choice. Now get up."

Sasuke did as told, slowly as well, eyes focused on the handgun. His thoughts ran wild as the brute began 'unpacking' the jacket, revealing more questionable items. He soon began to wonder if the guy was sent to finish off Naruto's parents by impersonating their child. That seemed more logical than anything else that was going on. Holding to that theory, he told himself he'd never talk, even though he really didn't know where Minato and Kushina were.

"Hey, Sasuke, you're coming with me. Sound good? Good." Menma chuckled at his own rhetorical question and answer, placing his handgun on the counter. He then turned back to his ammo clips and shoulder holster he'd pulled out of his jacket.

Sasuke stared at the blond, thinking, ' _He's out of his fucking mind.'_

"Could you look out the window for me beside you? I'm guessing since neither the start or late bell has rung, they must have locked the school down already." He sighed, laying out the ammo clips on the counter in a neat line before putting on the holster.

Sasuke seethed inside, looking out the window anyway. Curiosity emerged and overthrew fear when he saw the familiar black armored jeeps around the parking lot in the front. He crawled onto the bed to achieve a better view, making sure his eyes weren't deceiving him upon seeing the same snow cloaked people entering the building. "Those men!"

"Hm? You know them? They must really suck at their job." Menma's sarcastic sense died out when he noticed his captive didn't waver. He then quickly placed the M9 and clips in their proper places on the straps before walking over to the bed, climbing on. He looked from the raven to the men outside, seeing clarity there for sure. "Do you really know them?"

"They look like the men that supposedly killed you or at least a likeness of….you." Sasuke sat back, peering up suspiciously at the blond that had joined him.


	4. Run

"Pardon?" Menma quirked a brow, easing back off the bed. He then looked down at his arms to his hands and feet. "I'm very much alive, Uchiha."

"No, no...they must have taken you somehow." Sasuke conjured up a new theory since the funeral was a closed casket. It began to prove to be true very fast when the blond actually looked concerned about something. "Do you know where you came from?"

"Uhh, I'm an orphan, basically," Menma said with a shrug, remembering being told that his parents had abandoned him after the age of five but he had no memory of it. He did have a memory when he turned thirteen but nothing truly concrete before that. That still sounded far fetched to this day. He started to simmer, wanting to believe that Kakashi and the gang would never lie to him. There was a part of him that screamed otherwise often. "If what you're saying is true, we might need to do a little more than leave right now."

He picked up his jacket and tossed it to Sasuke. "Put that on. Its padded."

"Okay." Sasuke caught it and slipped it on, eager to get out of there so they could talk more, hoping he was right. In their rush, he noticed the blond wasn't wearing anything to secure himself. "What about you?"

"Hm? I like being shot." With a chuckle, Menma tightened his strap. "Naw, in all seriousness, I'll be fine. It's you that needs to be worried." He smiled, walking over, grabbing his backpack. "By the way, here, take mine and leave yours. I'm sure you have nothing of importance in it."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, not growing accustomed the tactless attitude just yet. He switched out backpacks anyway because he really didn't have anything besides school work .

"Oh, do you have any kin here?" Menma asked as he walked back to the door, removing the sheet and peeking outside through the window where he spotted no one.  _'That's odd…'_  Frankly, he'd expected Kakashi to show up with the rest by now.

"No. Itachi is in colle-"

"Good to hear. Do you have a cell phone?" he interrupted, glancing back at the raven before scanning outside the door again.

Sasuke blinked, taken aback. "What? No.. I got it taken up some days ago."

"That's perfect! Let's move," Menma ordered, opening the door and motioning for the raven to follow.

"We should just call the cops." Sasuke stood his ground, growing aggravated that the blond for asking all those questions with no explanation. He prepared to say something else but Menma ceased movement and pulled out his gun, laughing softly.

"Okay, Uchiha. You're cute and all when you try to think, but right now, I need you to follow me-"

"No! Narur-Or Menma, whatever! We could make this so much easier if w-" Sasuke lost his voice instantly when the blond fired off a warning shot a good bits away from his head. He yelped, crouching down and clutching his ringing ears. Even though there was a silencer, his hearing was impaired enough to where he could barely make out whatever the blond was saying till they moved close enough.

"..-they are useless. And now you have a reason to be hard of hearing. So this is the last time I'm going to ask for your obedience." He took a knee, lifting the raven's chin with the tip top of his barrel. "I won't miss a second time."

Sasuke swallowed hard, biting his lip to stop himself from crying. When his breathing was under control after a few timed breaths, he nodded, eyes down. He should've expected nothing less. They weren't friends or allies by any means. All he was, was a means of info. He didn't know whether to blame the people that took his friend or accuse the blond personally for not at least feeling that this kind of treatment was wrong. Perhaps he himself had made a lapse in judgement.

Menma grinned and re-holstered his gun after a good second passed. He patted the raven on the head, saying, "Don't worry. All things considered, I'm gonna let you continue to call me whatever it is you've been calling me."

Sasuke remained motionless, ears still covered. His wrist was seized and pulled to force him along out of the infirmary. They walked in silence, giving him time to seriously reconsider everything.  _'I need Itachi! This isn't...He can't be...'_  Now he had a headache to add to list of things the new kid was putting him through. That didn't stop him from thinking hard to find a way out. He knew the cloaked bastards were out of the question, but the blond seemed to be avoiding them too from the way he was checking the corners. Maybe he could somehow use that to escape.  _'Maybe.'_  He thought more on that, stopping only when his kidnapper did the same suddenly.

Menma had spotted two of his pals with assault rifles around the corner. He considered pretending he had captured Sasuke, but the odds that his mentor had put a watch out on him were to high. Since the men had their backs turned it wasn't a major problem anyway. All he had to do was keep straight to the stairway. Taking the elevator would be to noisy. He looked back to the raven and whispered, "Ssshhh," with an index to his lips. He crouched, bringing Sasuke down as well and prepared to move.

But Sasuke didn't budge, startling the blond teen out in the open. His wrist was yanked, but he didn't move. He'd come to a conclusion. Menma needed him alive or he wouldn't have risked going up against those guys that he clearly worked with. He might be beaten or shot, but not killed.

"We have to go!" Menma ushered quietly, knowing the other men could turn around at any moment. "Do you want to die?!"

"I'm not going anywhere with yo-!" The raven was cut off and forced back against the corner, a tanned hand back over his mouth.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Keep your voice down!" He snapped in the teen's ear before listening out, hearing footsteps. "Shit!"

Menma had no choice but to drag the squirming raven back down the hall, away from the oncoming threat. He managed to open a door to an empty classroom and shove the younger teen in it. He followed up by shuffling himself inside afterwards and closing the door quietly as possible just in time as the two men rounded the corner with their guns raised. He backed away from the door slowly with his own sidearm at the ready.

"Let me g-"

"Shut it!" He aimed his Beretta at the defiant raven as quick as he lashed out at him.

"Kill me then."

Those words sent the blond a wave of conflicting emotions that he didn't understand. His deciphering was interrupted when he heard the footsteps coming closer. He quickly grabbed the raven by his coat and dragged him out of eyesight from the door to among the desks.

"Okay, drama queen, I need you to scream first," Menma demanded, sneaking back over to the teacher's desk, hopping over and behind it.

Sasuke stood there muddled by the task, receiving a hand motion to hurry. He gave up on trying to make sense of the blond's random actions and decided to make a break for it. The door jerked open before he could even step towards it. Both men filed in, drawing their weapons right on him. He didn't understand why they didn't fire right away, but he was sure they didn't have the time to ask that themselves before they were both pistol whipped unconscious from behind. It happened so fast that it startled him.

Menma walked over the bodies, kicking their guns away and snickering. "They are so going to be pissed when they wake up."

"So you really do know them?!"

The blond shrugged at the question, checking the safety on his gun to make sure it was on before re-holstering it. He hadn't planned on killing his comrades or cohorts if he had a choice. "I've worked with them before somewhat. They're 'good' guys. Hell, actually this one right here was... my…" He trailed off when he heard clapping that definitely wasn't coming from Sasuke.

They both turned to the doorway, only one of them surprised to see the cherry blossom girl back. She continued to clap for a second, coming to a drawl with a pop of her gum.

"Sakura!" Sasuke didn't know why she was there, but he was sort of happy about it. His relief vanished when she gave him an uninterested glance that sent a wave of uncomfortable vibes all over.

She switched her focus back to the blond. "Are you adding this to your bucket of fuck ups?"

Menma grinned, arms out with a shrug. "You say that as if you have more success than me."

Sakura laughed, a hand on her hip. "More than me? Oh please. I'm the one student that's devoted the most." She strutted over, a hand remaining on her hip while the other arm swung freely at her side against her mini skirt.

Sasuke backed up, feeling something bad was about to happen. He watched her stop right in Menma's face and smirking. Strangely enough, the blond's tough guy act diminished right before his eyes and was replaced with something equivalent to a self conscious adolescent.

"Sakura, please. You guys have the school locked down already so you don't need me right now. I promise I'll come back when I'm done if he's telling the trut-"

She quickly silenced the blond with a thumb over his lips, moving them closed with a twitching smile. "I don't give a damn. You broke protocol."

"But I-!"

Sakura slapped him without restraint, achieving more of a reaction out of the Uchiha in the room than the one she struck. She quickly grabbed his jaw forcefully and made him look at her. "I told Kakashi you'd go AWOL for that worthless piece of shit. Somehow he gives you the benefit of the doubt anyway! You're just like the worthless ones that reportedly left."

Menma shoved the girl off, her words clearly stabbing through without much effort. With fist clenched, he grumbled, "They were not worthless!"

"Then prove that you're not! Kill him." She gestured to the ogling raven fleetingly with unsettling excitement in her voice. "Kill him and maybe Kakashi will forgive you. I might even forgive you."

Sasuke stepped back, scared out of his mind for the blond was pretty riled up now. He slowly looked towards Menma who never took his own eyes off the girl.

"No," Menma scoffed flat out, a snarl on his lips. "I don't take orders from Jiraiya's top whore."

Sasuke caught the familiar name, trying to remember where he'd heard it from.

"At least I'm top of something. Where are you still?" She grimaced a second before throwing a swift punch that the blond managed to block with an arm up. She wasted no time and went for a sidekick that was easily pushed back down, giving her balance to duck and so dodge the blond's back fist, catching him in the stomach.

Sasuke didn't know why he was watching the spontaneous fight instead of escaping, but he was beginning to wonder if the blond was trying and if he should help. Reason being because the girl was relentless. She didn't let up and used every ounce of Menma's size against him. Worst part, he could tell that Menma knew this too, but didn't see why he wasn't changing tactic then.

It didn't take long before she knocked her opponent off his feet and rolled over onto him in a straddle position near his face, swiftly withdrawing his gun and pressing it against his temple.

"Always top." Sakura smirked, though breathing deeply.

"Oh god, don't flatter yourself." Menma spat up crimson in her face from his busted lip as a bonus. He was struck across the cheek with his gun for a response.  _'Fuck!'_  he groaned inside, rendered incapable of holding the assaulted area when she suddenly brought her knees painfully down on his outstretched arms.  _'What's taking her so long?!'_  he began to worry slightly that he'd might have to find a way out of this on his own.

"Try and stay dead this time." She sneered, fingers entangled on top of blond hair to hold his head down as hard as possible, pulling the trigger equally so. Nothing happened. "What the hell?!"

Sasuke released a breath he didn't know he was holding, beyond happy the gun didn't go off. That was short lived though when the girl figured out the safety was on. Knowing his word had no real weight in their feud, he tried anyway. "Sakura, you don't have to do this!"

"Oh shut up you whiny twat! I'll take care of you in a bit." She waved the weapon his way, tugging Menma's hair to remind him she hadn't forgotten he was there.

"Now, back to the dead ki-" Something struck her against the neck, putting a pause in her words. It was a sharp pain that didn't knock her over, but it made her feel the area, fingers floating over something feathery, elongated and familiar. Drowsiness started to take over while she pulled out the dart and looked towards the doorway, catching the blurry image of her supposed partner.

"You... little…... traitorous bitch!" Sakura stammered, losing her strength to even hold herself up and so eventually collapsing aside the blond at an awkward angle.

Menma pushed her off as soon as possible, taking his gun back afterwards. Relieved, he tipped his invisible hat off to his savior in the doorway. "You had me worried you wouldn't show up for a minute, Hinata. Thank you!"

_'Hinata?'_  Sasuke couldn't believe the middle school looking lass from before was apart of this odd 'group'. Though it explained why he didn't recognize her before. It dawned on him at that moment,  _'They must all be stolen children too.'_

The young girl barely smiled, holding her dart gun close, cautious. "No problem, but what are you doing? Your Sensei has requested we check in on you."

"I know, I know, but hear me out!" he begged again, walking over to the girl and grasping her shoulders. "Remember that weird kid I was telling you about in the hallway? I think he might actually know who I really am."

Hinata glanced at Sasuke and right back to her committed brother, expression dull. The raven didn't lift a finger to help Menma at all during that fight, so how was he useful? In her opinion that is. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" He waved Sasuke over ecstatically. "Don't worry. She won't put a bullet in you like Sakura, but don't test her."

Sasuke wasn't so sure about that. He took his time nearing them, listening intently to their conversation. He could already tell that she didn't seem to like him very much, not understanding why.

"You claim you're aware of the danger, yet you didn't really fight back against her. Why is that?" She asked, peering up at the blond skeptically.

Menma released her shoulders, eyes searching for anything else to look at. "Well, besides the fact that you two are always together, she's still family… I love you all no matter what happens."

"What do you mean by that?"

He finally looked her way when he heard a low sniffle.

"...Oh, of course you're not coming back." Hinata fought back a tear, knowing she was right when he smiled sheepishly. She let out a sigh, frowning and leaning in face first against his chest. With Menma being the only guy she got along with now leaving, she couldn't take it, but she understood. They likely weren't his real home anyway, but at least he had a choice. She felt his arms come around her but it didn't ease anything.

"If he's lying, I'll come back. "

Hinata nodded, believing him . "And if he's telling the truth then you'd better watch your back."

Menma knew she meant that when she returned the hug. He thought it would be easy to end the embrace after that but he was too fond of her.

For Sasuke, this was kind of weird and somewhat painful for him to watch giving all he'd been through as well. He so tried to leave, only to be caught by the book-bag again.

"Nice try, Uchiha."

Sasuke didn't respond and so stayed put, letting his silence speak for itself. At least he didn't have to look at them anymore.

"Sasuke."

He clearly heard her call his name, but didn't bother to turn around. For his insubordination, he was spun back and pinned against the wall, a dart gun under his chin.

"You better start having his back...please?"

Sasuke didn't take her as a threat due to how small she was compared to him. He did relate to her feelings at least. "... I'll try."

"Good!" Her spirits lifted rather quick with a slight pat to the raven's chest. "I'll buy you two some time."

"You don't have to do this, Hinata." Menma knew the consequences very well if she did. "Why don't you come with us instead?"

"No...I have scores to settle, you know that." She gestured to the raven with a thumb out after that statement. "You're going to need to seriously brief him though and prep him if he's going to survive with you and you with him."

Menma dreaded the task already. "I will 'try' along the way," he confirmed with a grin, grabbing Sasuke by the jacket sleeve and pulling him over.

The raven just rolled his eyes, dying to say something smart.

"I hope you both try hard as hell. Kakashi will not like this." Hinata mumbled the last part, glancing over at her unconscious partner and the two other guys before walking out of the room.

Menma understood as plain as day, pulling the raven along after her. His mentor was going to lose his everlasting mind, and the punishment might be more severe than lashes on his face. He didn't have it as bad as Sasuke if they were caught. He was a 100% positive that the raven would be killed on sight or tortured in some way by his mentor alone. At that thought, his grip on the jacket tightened a bit. He didn't know why. It was just a feeling of sorts.

Ignoring the involuntary reflex, he continued to follow Hinata down the hall and to the stairway that lead out to the back of the school. They hurried down, forcing Sasuke to keep up. Upon reaching the bottom, the young girl stopped them with an arm out. Her pale lavender eyes scanned the exit door, sensing something off when she heard a clink. "I think Neji is out there."

"You can't be serious! Orochimaru said he'd put him on a leash back at the compound!" Menma released the confused raven so he could go over to the exit and kick it open, catching the door before it closed back. He came to find she was right, and that made him groan in aggravation.

Outside in the rain stood the older teen they called, Neji. A boy with envious long hair. He wore a black jumpsuit and had a katana in hand propped up against his shoulder.

"Menma! My naive brother, why did you drag my sweet little cousin into your desertion?" He smirked, ignoring the downpour.

Before the blond could retort with equal venom, Hinata stepped around him. "Go," was all she said before drawing her weapon at her surprised relative.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Menma hesitated before he grabbed Sasuke a minute later and made a run for it, hoping to high heaven she'd be okay. A shrill scream pierced through thunder, causing the blond, already a good distance away, to stop and look back. His eyes widened in horror and concern upon seeing Hinata had already been disarmed and was bleeding.

Sasuke looked back as well, not liking the odds of the match by the way she was getting cut over, and over, and over again. He could tell that Menma wanted to go back now to help more than ever. But he himself wasn't ready to watch the blond be sliced up till someone else arrived.

"We have to go!" Sasuke took hold of Menma's hand this time and managed to pull him away, their feet pounding the wet grass and splashing in small pools they dashed over. The adrenaline drove them to the far corner of the school in the front where they stopped to catch their breath. The storm soaked them up more.

Menma checked around the corner, seeing no one around at the front of the school. He looked back to the raven who hadn't stopped panting. "You have a car?"

Sasuke shook his head, gulping in air. "M-My brother drives me to school."

"Ah, fucking great. Follow me!" He grabbed the unprepared raven's hand this time and broke out running again across the front yard of the school. There was no time to argue and he was glad that Sasuke didn't object. They made it pass the entry steps and down the stairs to the lot area. He looked around at all the cars as the raven tried to catch his breath for the second time. He soon spotted a nice charcoal vehicle he liked. "We'll take that one."

"We can't steal a," Sasuke paused, hands on his knees and breathing hard, '...car."

Menma grinned shaking his head. "I think you'll be saying that a lot." He grabbed the weary teen again and forced him along, knowing he'd have to seriously improve the other's cardio drastically if possible.

Once at the car, he immediately broke the back rear door window in with his elbow, an alarm went off instantly. He could hear Sasuke trying to complain but it was useless with him being out of breath. Chuckling, he reached inside and unlocked the driver side door. He followed by opening the front side and slid on in to work on cutting off the alarm.

A scream broke his concentration, causing him to move up and out of the car just to see Neji with the raven in his grasp.

"Menma, you know I'm honestly surprised you left her like that for someone we don't even know." He shook his head, pressing his sword into Sasuke's back under the book bag a little more, loving the twinge from his prey.

"She's literally your family, man. You wouldn't kill her." Menma began to question his own statement when he saw Neji grin.

"Right. I'll dispense of this nuisance then." He drew his sword back, prepared to ram it through the pest until a bullet tore through rain and his shoulder, forcing him to drop his katana and release his captive. He grasped his bleeding wound without a sound, blood oozing out between his fingers. Shocked and pissed, he scowled at the one responsible. "ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?!"

Menma tried to ignore his comrade's pain as he caught the raven that had ran to him. He wasn't sure why he switched the safety off and pulled the trigger so damn fast. It was like it was automatic of sorts... That doesn't mean he didn't feel beyond terrible and awful about it though. It showed in his voice when he meekly said, "Get in the car and cut the three wires I have pulled out with the knife from my bag...I'll take care of the rest.."

Sasuke obeyed, shaken still. He moved out of the blond's arms to ease inside the vehicle, looking back to see Menma walking over to the bleeding maniac. Deep down he wished Menma would shoot him again. At the same time, he understood they were definitely all brainwashed or something by the looks of it and therefore hesitant to turn on each other. Withdrawing from their situation, he attempted to focus and turn his attention to the task given

Menma stopped a few feet away from his comrade. "Neji, I am so, so sorry, man. I...I really need some time to find out a little about myself is all!"

"You sound exactly like them!" Neji spat in gritted out pain, grabbing his weapon of choice back off the ground, disregarding the betrayed feeling inside and out. There was no way he'd let him escape alive like the others had, especially not now when they were so close. "If you want to leave us so bad as well, you'd better shoot me again!"


	5. Remember

There was no stopping this. Menma realized that eventually and so, with a doleful look, he switched the safety back on his M9. He kept his gaze down, gun at his side and waiting. When he heard a swish, thanks more to the rain, he was able to sidestep Neji's sudden strike downwards. Knowing the other all too well, he simply jumped back and avoided a mid slash that would have spilled his guts all over the ground.

"FIGHT ME!"

Menma shook his head. "Neji, you're wet, cold, and losing blood." He wanted nothing else but for his comrade to understand. Behind those weary pale purple eyes, lurked only loathing. "I don't want to kill you, man! You're going to pass out eventually. Just drop your pride for a second!"

The response he got was a series of attacks he dodged without much effort due to the fact that he was right. Neji was losing a lot of blood the more he kept pushing himself to the limit and therefore, slowing down. He was failing so quick that it got to a point where Menma was able to catch his wrist mid swing with one hand and render him unconscious with the other. The crashing sound of Neji hitting a nearby car and then the damp ground, was followed by a more pleasing engine noise from a car alarm finally shutting up.

"I did it!" Sasuke shouted, relieved and sitting back up on the seat. Those wires were not easy to cut as he had thought they'd be. He looked out and was met with the back of a dismal blond that gave him no recognition immediately. His eyes then traveled to the unconscious long haired male on the ground. "Oh my god… is he..?"

"No. He'll be okay." Menma pulled out his own cell phone and sent a quick smiley face text to his mentor before tossing it near Neji. "Let's get moving."

Sasuke was then ushered over into the passenger seat. He wanted to console the blond at that moment. If he wasn't worried about being cursed out, he might have. For now, he sat the backpack in the back and buckled up thereafter. He watched the troubled teen silently hotwire the car, averting his eyes often.

Seconds later the vehicle was put in reverse and backed up enough to where gears could be shifted. Startled by the harsh throttle, Sasuke held onto the seat belt strap and glanced back and forth at the ever increasing speed gauge and the driver. After a while, as the rain died down, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Menma chuckled miserably, slowing down and peeking out the rear view mirror every once in a while. "You know I think I'd love for you to start talking actually."

"Where do you want me to start?" Sasuke knew he would overflow the other with information. He couldn't lie, he was excited way more than he should be.

"How about why the hell do you call me whatever it is that you call me, hm? Who the hell are you?" He glimpsed at the anxious teen with a raised brow. "And what's up with that damn necklace? You look like you don't take it off."

Sasuke blushed very faintly from the truth spoken. With a cough, he shrugged. "Umm, well, Naruto was my best friend from one up to ten. You look just like him...He was supposedly killed though," he mumbled mournfully, twirling the gem, "then his parents gave me this."

"So this really is based on looks alone, huh?" That caught his attention more than anything else, infuriated. "Uchiha… you need to come up with something better than that."

Sasuke began to panic once the blond pulled out his gun again. "But you're the one that came to me! Ah-Okay! I-I have pictures! If we can get to my house I can show yo-."

Menma stopped the car with a heavy foot to the breaks. He then turned in his seat to the raven, gun raised towards onyx eyes. "Don't test me. Where are this 'boy's' parents?"

Sasuke shook his head frantically. "I-I don't know! They moved likely for protection once more kids like you were killed!"

"Look! I'm not dea-...More? More kids?"

He tilted his head to the side at the crazy blond, wondering why he never searched this stuff himself. "You weren't the only one, Naru-I mean, Menma. You never questioned any of this?"

Menma lowered his weapon slightly, considering ignoring that stupid question and putting a bullet in the Uchiha's abdomen for even asking. "Of course I did. I was told I'd been up for adoption at the age of five. The problem is I can't remember anything before I turned thirteen..."

"Adoption?! Okay, that's ridiculous. Is it that you really can't remember or is something there and it's just fuzzy?" Sasuke's drive to know more overrode his fear of the gun.

"Fuzzy. So, any other final forgettable questions?"

"Hmm, maybe I can jog a memory at my house." Sasuke pondered, not noticing the other teen's look of utter disbelief.

Menma's right eye twitched. "Alright, I think we're done here."

"Those bastards must have clearly brainwashed you all somehow." Sasuke went on thinking aloud, blinking in confusion when that same gun was back in his face again as if he'd overstepped a line.

"Those 'bastards' are my family still and the only real thing I've seen with my own eyes for years! How do I know you're not trying to brainwash me for whatever weird reason?" Menma stated flat out, anger spiking.

The raven shook his head, pointing for the angry driver to make a right at the next street. "My house."

"...Agh! Fine! If anything looks suspicious though, I'll end you." The car was started back up in a hurry almost. Menma was hoping for evidence on the raven so they wouldn't have to stop. It did give him some time to think about what he would do if the teen was right… There was a part of him hoping otherwise actually, for his mentor did take care of him. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to turn the car around and go beg for forgiveness, but if they had lied to him all these years….. so much for their plans.

"Okay now make another right and it's the first estate on the left." Sasuke couldn't hide his excitement any poorer. Once they pulled up to the estate, he was already out of the car as it slowed. His smile flipped upside down when he saw his parents weren't home. Oh well. He ran to the door and fumbled with his one house key from all the anticipation.

Menma had to come over after parking and hold pale hands from shaking so much. "Are 'you' okay?"

"Mhm!" Sasuke nodded, taking his hands back nervously. He opened the door without a problem and pulled the surprised blond along through the hall to the living room. There Sasuke paused for a moment, scenes of their childhood flooding in of the time they used to play there for days and nights.

"Uchiha?" Menma looked from the fancy living room suit to the dazed teen. "Are you sure you are okay?"

"Huh? Oh!" And back to pulling he went, taking him up the spiral stairs to his room at the far end of the hall, passing by portraits and other decorative items on the wall. "In here!" He opened his room door and stood to the side, a hand out for his long lost friend to enter.

Menma shook his head, thinking that maybe Sasuke was a bit mental for a minute. He kept a watchful eye as he entered the untidy room, careful not to trip over the many newspapers, clothes and other such things. "You know I figured you for a neat freak. Now, I'm not even sure if you have friends, dude."

"Ahah.. over here!" Sasuke pointed to his desk, embarrassed at how much the other teen's guesses were actually correct. He distracted himself from the truth by switching on the heater nearby to warm themselves up a bit and dry their clothes. Amid that task, his eyes wandered over to the captivated blond by the investigation board. "See! More kids went missing too. I also have some pictures of your parents and some of us if you want to see them."

That landed on deaf ears.

"That's ...Is that me?" His fingers touched the middle newspaper clipping with his young smiling, scar-less face that he was beginning to remember all too well. He trailed down to the headline that nearly broke his heart alone.

"Uzumaki...Deals in loss? 10 years old? But, that would mean eight years then... " he stumbled, retracting his hand to his orange birthday shirt, remembering all the other parties and fights among other things about his mentor that were now beginning to make sense. "This can't be right. I-..He.."

Sasuke didn't know why he expected a thank you or a smile or some positive reaction from him. If anything, he felt pretty awful for showing this to him in such a in your face way. Before he could say anything, the blond snatched all of the other victims pictures off the wall, appearing to recognize them.

"Where'd you get this?" Menma turned around, shoving the clippings in Sasuke's face. "These boys?!"

"Ah! Remember? You weren't the only one. " He let that sink in, seeing something click. "Naruto?"

"Ishida, Moriku, and Toriumi all ran away. Ishida, or Gaara, was the first." With a scratch of his head, he scanned through each of their headlines and paragraphs, firmly believing now. He made a mental note to remember their real names based on the paper clippings later. "I always thought my comrades left because their mentors were really shitty and abusive but...maybe they found out the truth somehow."

Sasuke leaned back against his dresser, arms crossed. "Mentors? Senseis? Is that what you call those guys that took you."

Menma smiled, shaking his head. "No. They order the guys that apparently took us. Obito, Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Orochimaru are the mentors, aka the bosses basically." He looked up to the raven, knowing he was thinking hard on something. "What is it?"

"That name, Jiraiya, sounds so familiar."

The blond nodded, pocketing the clippings as well as his own from the board. "He gets around with the ladies a lot. Come on." With that not so helpful tip, he grabbed Sasuke's hand and left the room with him in a hurry.

"Hey, hey, where are we going?!" Sasuke stopped them in the living room where they were headed for the door.

"We can't stay here!" He gave the raven a confused look before trying to leave again, failing.

"Tell me why."

Menma groaned this time, looking back with an annoyed face. "Because you were right! Okay?! They know I'm with you and might likely track us down here."

The blond had no idea how happy that made the raven. He got a glimpse of it the second Sasuke trapped him in a surprise tight hug around his neck. More to his shock, he didn't try to pry the smaller teen off.

"Good...I'm happy to have you back, Naruto!"

"Yeah..yeah that's me...I guess. Are you crying?" Menma heard sniffling on his shoulder. This was odd for him. His 'new'name wasn't clicking yet either.

Sasuke backed off and wiped his face quickly, emotions growing. "N-No, I nee- just let me gather a few things for us and leave a note for my parents." He tried to do just that only to be pulled towards the door instead. "I'll be quick!"

"I don't care! We don't have time for you to search through that shit storm of a room!" He was this close to sending the raven to la la la land and keeping him like that the whole ride.

"But I'lllll beeee quick!"

"For the love of...! Four minutes!" Menma caved, releasing him. "If you're not here, I will drag you out unconscious or screaming."

"Roger that, boss." Sasuke smiled, causing the blond to become slightly nervous having not expected that.

Naruto didn't know it, but he had a hint of pink on his fuming face while the raven disappeared back up stairs. That nickname sent him a wave of emotions. ' _Damn right I am,'_ he mumbled to himself, going into the living room to wait. He walked around instead of sitting down, checking out the pictures over the fireplace to get his mind off of his lie of a world he'd been living in. ' _Pale as fuck runs in the family? Nice.'_ An amused smile worked its way on as he continued, finding many pictures of two children by some lake that made him feel sort of nostalgic. He guessed the tallest by Sasuke must be Itachi. His hair reminded him of Neji though so he didn't stare for long. The youngest Uchiha on the other hand, had to be the cutest kid he'd ever seen. ' _Awww, even as a chubby baby you sported some poor bird's ass on your head.'_  He chuckled, poking the picture.

' _Look at those cheeks!'_  At that, he stopped with an awkward cough, walking away from the image. ' _Okay, that was to far...What the hell is he packing up there?'_ He took a seat on the couch this time, adjusting his holster. He leaned back, arms spread out on the back rim and legs up on the coffee table. Thinking it nice and comfy, he tilted his head back and shut his eyes to rest for a few seconds. ' _So I'm Naruto? Hmm. Naruto, Naruto...Naruto..'_

Menma straight up passed out.

 **~/./~** _Memory #1: By The Lake_ **~/./~**

 _When he thought he awoke, it was to the sound of something splashing. He immediately opened his eyes just to see he was frozen in free fall. While glancing around to figure out what the hell was going, he suddenly fell face first onto a grass hill. Groaning a good five curses, he lifted himself up onto his butt, spotting two children of his and Sasuke's likeness down at some dock by the bay that looked a lot like the lake from the pictures._ 'What the.. am I'm dreaming?'

" _Naruto, don't do it! You don't even know what's in there!" Little Sasuke yelped in fear, holding onto a young blond's waist, being dragged along as the other determined child trudged forward to the edge of the dock._

" _I'll be fine! Let me go, Sasuke! It's sinking further the longer we wait!"_

" _But we can always buy another airplane! We can even get a remote control one next time!" the small raven pleaded, going nowhere in convincing his friend._

" _This one is special! I'm getting it back!"_

_Bigger Naruto chuckled at the silly determination his younger self had. Then he became concerned after that same self actually dove in once free. Everything went black after that. He could hear voices, but wasn't sure who exactly they belonged to. Curious, he moved up closer to it. Nearing that point, he was beginning to understand that this was actually some sort of memory. The moment the light came back on, he was half way down the hill and out of breath as if he'd been holding it the whole time. Everything came back into view with Itachi popping up out of lake with Naruto's gasping child self._

" _What the hell were you thinking, Naruto?!" Big brother heaved them both up onto the dock, breathless more from the adrenaline rush and panic, not to mention the weight from their soaked clothes. "I leave you guy's for a minute to get my phone and one of you decides to swim?!"_

" _I ... our first...airplane!" The precious possession was held up victoriously in the air by the happy panting blond child._

" _You've got to be fuc-?! I refuse to have kids." Itachi groaned, rolling over onto his stomach to ease up. "Nobody say a word about this to either of our parents! We're going home!" As he walked past his emotional brother who was crying his heart on the ground, he flicked water on him and said, "Calm down! Naruto's over there!"_

_Crying was probably an understatement. The kid looked like he'd been punched in the gut by the way he was hugging himself and curled up bawling. The second he heard his brother had brought back his friend from the depths, he sped over like a road runner to his side._

" _Don't ever do that again! I nearly died!" He shook the blond a good bit before latching onto his chest no matter how damp or unprepared the other was. "Promise you won't!"_

'Ow..'  _Dreaming Naruto actually felt that small weight change. He rubbed his chest as a result._

" _Ow, heh, okay Sasuke. I won't, I promise." The little blue coated aircraft was brought into view for them both._

_Sasuke stayed upset and pouting, giving the propellers a spin. "Good.."_

_Naruto found himself smiling a little at the scene before he was engulfed by the world's brightest headlights again. He shielded from the rays with both of his hands up, coming back to reality._

_**~/./~**_ _End Of Memory #1_   _ **~/./~**_

Typical enough, it was dark because his eyes never truly opened in reality. He later began to feel a jabbing at his arm that he swatted away, unsure of what was going on. Blinking through the blurriness, he sat up fully and rubbed his eyes. "Shit, I fell asleep. Did I say anything stupid?"

"Not really." Sasuke shrugged in front of him with his duffel bag ready and a new set of clothes on. "You mumbled is all. Oh, I left a note for my parent's on their bed, but I only told them I was going out for a bit encase your buddies come by."

"That's actually somewhat smart thinking, Uchiha. Did you watch me sleep that whole time then after?" He observed the guilty look the raven displayed. "Holy hell...did you really?"

"Shouldn't we be going before your psychotic mentors show up?" Sasuke blurted out, flustered, leaving the house. It wasn't weird to watch anyone sleep and he didn't feel like arguing that point. He heard the front door close eventually and so kept his flushed face down at the car. "Where are we going by the way?" he asked, hoping to change the subject.

Naruto grinned. He couldn't help but poke fun at the ruffled raven. "I guarantee we're not going to sleep, especially not with you around."

"I wasn't watching you sleep!" Sasuke rolled his eyes, voice deceiving him. He quickly opened the back door and tossed his bag in before taking a seat in the front passenger side, slamming the door. If he wasn't embarrassed enough, he was the second blond got in the car and laid his head on his lap.

"Do I look cute or something when I sleep? Be honest."

"What?! Get off!" He pushed Naruto up and away. "I thought you were in a hurry!"

"I am, I am. Just wanted to tease you a bit, Sasuke." Naruto chortled, starting the car back up. "I actually had a dream about you to be honest," he mentioned offhandedly, backing up out of the driveway.

Sasuke looked over, interest beating out sheepishness. "Of me? What was it about?"

"We were at some lake, I think. I jumped in to retrieve our plane and you cried like a baby the whole time."

That didn't help the raven's state at all. He was thrilled nonetheless. "You're starting to remember! What else did you-?"

"Whoa, calm down there. It's only one memory I'm still processing, okay? What did you pack?"

"Oh, um, I grabbed some clothes and food. I was going to bring the photo album but I didn't want to chance them being ruined or worst. They're saved online so, you know," he mumbled that last part, trying to drive his mind on something else as well, "I packed you some of my brothers old clothes too just in case."

Naruto cooed playfully, pinching Sasuke's cheek. "You are a peach!"

"Stop…" But there was no ending the teasing train. The blond even went a step further and mentioned the baby pictures. Sasuke greeted death right there. There was nothing more distressing than hearing your old best friend talk about how much of a cute chubby baby you were. It didn't slip his mind that he'd called him cute, but he didn't' think to much of it either. The ride went on like that for a while till they were further and further away from town, forcing him to ask, "So, where are we going again?"

Naruto simply said, "As far from the city as possible to get some help."

"Help from who? The cops are back there."

The blond gestured out at the open road before them. "They couldn't even find me, so no. We're going to find my comrades wherever they are. They're ten times more aware of the situation so I kinda need them." He hoped they were alive in their hometowns. Those newspaper clips revealed they were spread out all over though so they'd be burning daylight a lot just to reach one of his comrades states.

Sasuke didn't think that was the best idea. Hell, he had no clue what the plan was over all anyway. "What are they to help us with?"

"Stopping my mentor and the other's from…. trying to rule the world." Naruto sighed, feeling the enormous amount of questions about to pour out from the raven. "Look, before you start freaking out, yes, I over stated that. A small country might be within their grasp! Also, we would have only killed the people that defied us…."

Sasuke stared, mouth agape at the blond. "I'm sorry, what?"

"It's a long story. You should get some rest first and conserve your energy. Did you eat breakfast?" Naruto tried to derail the conversation for the time being, not succeeding. He could see a pale teen's non to amused expression out of the corner of his eyes. "Is that a no?"

"No, I mean, no! No I haven't eaten yet. That doesn't matter! A country? How? There's the army and the other nations and...why are you laughing?" Sasuke wasn't sure if the driver was taking this seriously.

"The power that they're trying to acquire comes from these stones that will enable them to topple nations solo," he explained, sounding a little too excited. "They would be in complete control of creation itself and therefore everyone else like gods!"

"Naruto, why would they want to do that?" Sasuke placed a hand on the blond's shoulder, worried for all the right reasons. "You know that's wrong? It also sounds pretty insane."

Naruto snapped out of his old lifestyle, remembering what they'd done. "Of course I know! I.. To my mentors, the world owes them for casting them out like animals. Anyway I'm not part of their plan anymore which is the good part." He tried to laugh it off but it didn't work in the least.

"Do you actually miss them?" Sasuke had to ask due to how conflicted the teen looked.

Naruto shrugged. "Sure, like, I miss my friends a lot...even Kakashi. I did grow up with them."

"But they kidnapped you?! " Sasuke took it personal. They stole his best friend, his friend's memories and over all half the blond's life, filling it with their time together instead. It wasn't fair. "You grew up with real parents and actual friends. WE were best friends!"

"I'm sorry but I don't feel that way about you like I do them, Sasuke. I have that one memory of you. That's it! All that told me was that you're emotionally and physically clingy, man! Maybe my kidnapping was a good thing. You're a little out there."

"I'm out there?! ...Stop the car!" Sasuke demanded, distraught. Once the driver reluctantly pulled over, the raven kicked the door open and bustled out, saying, "Maybe you should of shot me then if I bother you this much," before slamming the car door.

Naruto nodded with a ticked off smile and aggravatingly forced himself out the drivers side to follow the moody teen. "Is that what this is about?! You want me to shoot you still?!"

"If it puts me out of my misery from hearing you talk, then please empty the whole damn clip!" Sasuke gritted harshly, walking away faster, contemplating on whether or not he meant that.

"You're not worth wasting a clip on! Where are you going anyway? I thought we were quote on quote 'besties'. You can't take criticism?!" He wouldn't admit it but he was a tad worried now that his new tag-a-long was about to seriously leave him.

' _Rub it in...'_  The raven rolled his eyes, not looking back, keeping his hands in his jean pockets. He pressed on against the cold breeze, dim gray sky overhead since it had stopped raining all together a while back. His light blue henley t-shirt didn't helping keep him warm. The chill and his determination aided him in calming down a bit too in a bad way. Depression crept up in his mind and worked its way down to his heart. He missed his brother more than anything and kind of wished he'd listened to him and made other friends.

Maybe he wouldn't have ended up facing the real truth...Naruto was spot on as always. Was it really any different than what his brother had been telling him for years?

' _Am I really that annoying?'_ The sound of footsteps increased behind him. He paid no mind. A hand soon came over on his shoulder and sort of just stayed there. "What? Want to slam me to the ground again? Or are you actually going to shoot me this time? Either way...I'm okay with it."


	6. Trespassing

"Jeez, man." Naruto turned the raven around, coming to grips that he needed to cover somethings. "Listen, I'm not sorry, alright? I have a problem with sentimental things. So, surprise, it took me a while to learn to get like this. That doesn't mean I don't want to try and erase some of that mindset now. It's just...I'm not going to sugar coat things for a while, bud."

At the nickname, Sasuke quickly embraced the conditioned teen around their neck tightly. "You know there's nothing wrong with empathy?! I won't hurt you for being polite to me… I am sorry for lashing out because you weren't. After all, we should be able to talk to each other about these things."

"Prepare for a lot of moments then." Naruto chuckled, returning the hug. "You should know I can be a handful myself so you're not alone." He felt Sasuke nod against him, generating a smile. "Don't tell anyone I actually said that, alright? Also, let me go. There's a car coming….Sasuke?!"

Sasuke held on tighter, laughing out, "I'm clingy, remember?" Resistance was futile, for he was to happy. The vehicle soon sped by with a friendly horn blow at the two, misunderstanding the situation entirely much to Naruto's dismay.

"No! It's not like that! Let go of me, Uchiha!"

The teen eventually released the raging blond and smirked. "You know you liked it."

"As much as I'ma enjoy hitting the brakes later when you're asleep? Sure." Naruto grumbled, dusting nothing off himself in particular. "Now will you come back to the car, your highness?"

Sasuke nodded, curtsying only to shock the blond. He then ruffled blond spikes as he passed by. "Sure thing, boss."

"You keep calling me that but I don't think you understand what it means," Naruto said with annoyance as he re-fluffed his hair before catching up, "Like, do you get it? Stop smirking and answer me!"

Oh he was going to enjoy this. Sasuke walked on, hands back in his pockets as the blond raged for a response. When Naruto eventually gave up, the silent treatment took place once back at the car.

The ride was therefore somewhat quiet with the driver's side remarks uttered under his breath. This made the raven grin inside to himself, elbow up on the windowsill of the car. He was relieved to know a little more about his friend, concluding that he now had to re-bond with Naruto all over again. It was worth it in his eyes.

"Boss, what do you like to do for fun?" Sasuke asked despite the fact that the driver was still very mad. He grinned at how cute the teen was when grumpy. The whiskers made him look like a poor fury that wasn't sure what it was. "Are you really not going to talk to me the whole ride? ...Okay. I'll sing then."

"I doubt you can. And why do you want to know my hobbies anyway?" Naruto leaned back in the seat with a arched brow cast to his passenger. "I thought you were my best friend."

"Fair enough." Sasuke crossed his arms and flashed that smirk that the driver was beginning to despise. "So how about this, I'll say something you liked to do and you tell me if I'm right or not?"

Naruto gave a thumbs up, focused on the road. "Go for it."

It took him a bit to actually remember something for a second. He surfed through his memories, picking up vague and some solid traits and hobbies he could remember his friend had. Which one to start with was the problem though. Perhaps something simple then more personal. "You like planes?"

"No." He knew why the question was because of the memory he'd had. He didn't feel anything for the plane at all through the whole thing. "Next question."

"Really?! Why? You use to-"

Naruto snapped his fingers for the raven to get back on track. "I said I don't! Move on."

Sasuke puffed a bang out of his face and grumbled. "Well do you still like to gorge on ramen?" He expected and instant yes but his growing friend actually looked befuddled. "You do know what ramen is, right?"

The blond shook his head. "Not a clue what you're talking about."

"Oh my god! You don't-Never mind!" He shut up, thinking this an actual good thing. He'd spent to many nights with that smell in the air when they were younger.

"What? No never mind! Tell me what it is!"

Sasuke grinned snapping his own fingers in the drivers face this time. "Move on, remember? Do you like to binge toy story movies all night?"

Naruto huffed, shrugging. "Never got around to movies. What's so funny now?"

"I'm going to show you if we ever get the chance." He chuckled, patting the grumpy blond on the forearm. "You'll love it, trust me. You've got a friend in me."

Naruto sighed with another shrug, not getting it. "Alright, buddy. Keep in mind I'm much older now."

"And yet you wear orange like it's going out of style."

"Ha-ha. Know any gas stations out this far, your royal paleness?" The driver leaned up to glance at the fuel gauge signalling a pit stop was indeed in order.

"Not really. Mostly in town, why? Are we about out?" Sasuke peeked over the steering wheel and frowned. "Oh, it didn't have that much anyway when we took off."

"You're just now telling me this?" The driver gawked at the teen who looked around as if he didn't know what to say.

It was the blond's fault too. "Why didn't you check the gauge beforehand like I did?"

"Jesus... whatever. We can't turn back because we won't make it and we'll likely be caught so let's hope for a miracle station or help out here in the country."

"Sounds boring," Sasuke yawned, preparing for the long ride by cranking his chair back.

"You're going to go to sleep now, huh? Typical."

He couldn't help but laugh at that and turn on his side, facing the easily triggered driver. "I'm sorry if finding out my best friends alive, running for my life, starving, and going on a joyride starts to wear on me. We can continue our game later, for now you can watch me sleep."

Naruto grunted and refused to look at him. "Smart bastard," he mumbled aloud, unaware that it had escaped from his inner thought.

It didn't matter, his passenger had heard it loud and clear. The raven smiled, drifting off to sleep.

Right now, Naruto seriously considered hitting the brakes. His foot hovered over the desired pedal, wanting to, but every time he glanced at Sasuke's peaceful sleeping face...he couldn't.

' _Come on! It'll be hilarious!'_ He tried to boost himself to no avail. Besides looking peaceful, there was a certain innocence there and utmost trust. He couldn't break that. With a groan, he slumped against the seat more and endured the quiet, humorless drive, keeping watch on the fuel line. To pass the time, he took to memorizing his brother's actual names in his head.

' _Ishida is Gaara, Moriku is Shikamaru, and Toriumi is Kiba. Ishida is Gaara, Moriku is Shikamaru and Toriumi is Kibbles. Kibbles? No, Kiba! Shit. Kibbles is perfect for him though!'_ He amused himself as every near hour or so the tank drained lower and lower. They would surely shut down eventually and have to hitchhike a ride if they didn't find gas soon. Good thing it was somewhat day out still.

Things started to look like a break down was about to happen until he came up upon another old country home to the right side of the road. They had a pretty large barn in the back and so hopefully a car they could share. He pulled up on the property and parked beside the house before cutting it off. His passenger remained sleep which was a good thing. He was sure he was about to have to do something illegal because the lights were out in the house.

He sneaked out of the car as quietly as possible and jogged around to the barn way in the back. When he opened it, he was met with all kinds of weapons that shouldn't be in such a place.

Naruto backed away slowly, thinking he'd pulled up to the wrong house. He then ran back to the car to find his passenger gone and some of the lights in the house on. ' _Shit, shit, shit!'_  He freaked out, running around to the front porch of the house and up the steps, ready to kick the door down. It was already open. Expecting the worst, he pulled out his gun and cautiously maneuvered inside and down the lit hall. He was prepared for almost anything, except laughter.

From being with Sasuke a while, he knew which laugh was his. And surprisingly, he knew who the other laugh belonged to as well. Hoping he was correct, he rounded the corner to the kitchen, heart racing and weapon down.

He soon let out a breath of solace at the warming sight of his oldest comrade having tea with Sasuke at a small square wooden table in a corner.

"ISHIDA!" Naruto shouted overjoyed, putting his gun away.

"Mm," Gaara finished his sip from a panda themed cup before addressing him, "It's Gaara! But it's about time you came in, Naruto! I was starting to think you were going to rob us and then leave your friend here behind." He half smiled at the blond that tackled him out of the chair instantly, forcing Sasuke to pick up his cup for him since the action shook the table as well. "Good lord, Naruto, you are aware you're not a child anymore, right?"

Naruto knew that for sure, but nothing was going to stop him from hugging on tight to the ginger. It had been a long four years waiting, and funny enough, they were four years apart by age. Seconds later, it dawned on him what Gaara had just said.

"Us?" He backed off, sitting up on his knees beside him.

Sasuke smiled, happy for Naruto now that he understood a lot more. "You might want to strap him down for this."

"Why? Wait, Moriku and Umi are here?!"

Gaara nodded, chuckling when Naruto bolted upstairs to find them. " It's Shikamaru and Kiba! And no, they're not exactly here, Naruto!" He shouted when he'd helped himself up and straightened out his red checkered shirt and equally crimson locks.

"Where are they?" Sasuke asked, hearing his friend's rushed footsteps back down the stairs.

"Well, they went looking for Naruto while I stayed back to keep an eye out," he informed, gesturing to the living space. "We'd been here a while hoping Naruto would come back to his hometown somehow if he ever left, and or a mission would lead him here since we couldn't find his parents. Then we saw what happened to your school on T.V. It looked like our mentor's tacky work so we hoped to find that fool."

Naruto listened from the doorway, ecstatic. "I think Shika and Kibbles might be easier for me to remember. When will they be back though? Can you call them?" He looked around for a phone of any kind, willing to call them himself. He needed to see them, hear them, make sure they were okay, ect.

"You know my disdain for electronics. I used Shika's phone he left behind though, so relax and get over here." Gaara pulled the busy blond by the table and made him stand straight. With thumb and forefinger at his own chin, he scanned the teen up and down, stopping at the six marks on his face that weren't there before he left. Livid, he asked, "How the hell did that happen?!"

It took Naruto a while to get what he meant. "Oh, this?" he pointed to his whiskered cheeks, smiling when he shouldn't be. "I messed up a couple of times is all."

"So they cut up your face each time?!" He knew Kakashi was possessive and likely wouldn't hurt the blond, but this made him rethink that entirely. "Did your mentor do this?"

"Yeah! You know he won't let anyone else touch me," Naruto mumbled, realizing how weird that sounded. He glanced at Sasuke to see he was also a bit perplexed by that statement.

Gaara took a moment, walking away to the counter. He firmly placed his hands open palmed on the surface. "Why did you let him do that?"

"Because I deserved it?" He jumped a little, surprised when his brother struck the counter top hard.

"You are so lucky Shikamaru isn't here to here to hear you say that." Regaining his composure, Gaara returned back to the table and got his tea cup to refill. "Those men have no right to say what we deserve."

"So then you know?" Sasuke spoke up, wanting details and also a conversation altar. Their anger was clearly an emotion that they all could easily express a bit too much. "What they did to you all?"

Gaara shrugged, overflowing his cup. " That wasn't why I left though."

"Then why? Was it because of those times I messed up?" Naruto kept his voice up, not wanting to sound hurt or anything. His expression showed just that regardless. With eyes down, he was able to spot the incoming of a filled t-cup against his chest, lightly.

"You're the reason we are here, Naruto. So chin up, drink this, and have a seat."

Naruto bit back his swelling emotions, taking the cup and a seat on the opposite side of the table, one chair left vacant. He felt a hand from Sasuke on his wrist, gently letting him know he was there too. There he received a glimpse of how much they all did for him he heard something scratch against the floor, he couldn't help but look up to see Gaara had slumped back down in his seat, not a single drop spilled from their cup.

"You deserve an answer to why I left, Naruto. I was...I'd been there the longest so my loyalty wasn't as fresh as you guys. In fact, mines had worn away after a few years of ...things. Heck, I wanted to convince you guys to come with me or send someone to help, but as soon as I ran away, I knew they would move you all. I told the authorities, but I had no proof. All I had was the clothes on my back and my word, so they sent me off and told me they'd look into it but clearly... " He hesitated, not wanting to remember such fails or others.

"But you're a missing child?! Why would they turn you away? How many are there of you guys?!" Sasuke recalled their only being four that he knew about versus the new ones he'd seen. "And what did they do to you guys?! Why did they take you all?!"

Gaara dodged certain questions for very deep personal reasons. "Oh my, um, where to start? Those are all very long stories in themselves for another time maybe. I can give an estimate of kids to the best of my abilities! I was the first to show up as far as I know. Eventually, after not even a year, Shikamaru came, then Kiba, Neji, and finally the not so much a baby anymore over there." He pointed at the blond drinking away.

"Neji?" Sasuke quirked a brow at the name he didn't remember reading being involved with them.

"Ah, he was volunteered through one of the many families that believe in the legend that they kidnapped us for. He's therefore not missing, so no need for a name change or report." Gaara rolled his eyes, sick from just mentioning the people.

"We got two girls the same way after you guys left. One of them is Neji's cousin." Naruto looked down regretfully, thinking about her. He then reached in his pockets and laid out the four paper strips on the table. "I suppose these are useless?"

Gaara shrugged, sighing. "Neji would do anything to boost his status, so that doesn't surprise me. Those articles aren't of real use to us anymore either. How'd you get these without raising any red flags, Mr. Uchiha?"

"I use to pester the police a lot, so they know what I'm up too. Also, you can call me Sasuke." He smiled, unsure why his old friend was eyeing him in such a curious way.

"And a pleasure it has been to meet you, Sasuke. I'm happy one of us found someone from our past." With a heavy heart, he sat up fully in his chair and reached over with a hand out to the raven. "Thank you for steering him out of their grip in a sense."

Naruto had a very small problem with the simple handshake. He sort of derailed from his mentor on his own in his mind. "Are you really going to take all of the credit?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, taking his hand back to rest his chin on a fist. Smirking, he looked over to the blond. "Jealous already?"

"Good to see your still clingy, Naruto."

"Hardy-har, Gaara. Care to fill my cup too while you're up now, bro? You've had like three now yourself." Of course he wouldn't admit the obvious, ignoring that 'oh really' look the raven had on his face.

"You have two workings legs and you're 18 now!" Gaara glanced back over his shoulder from pouring another cup. "Get your spoiled ass up and fill it yourself."

Naruto groaned, not liking that idea and so switching to Sasuke. He pushed his cup over to him with a smile. "How about it, want to 'try' to make yourself useful for once, best friend?"

With a another roll of those onyx orbs and smack of his lips, the raven left the table and both of their empty cups. "Best friend doesn't mean maid, moron."

"Aww, come on Sasuke!"

Sasuke flipped him off repeatedly, rounding the corner to the living room.

"Jesus, was that really necessary?" Naruto shifted up from his seat, cup in hand, actually confused to why the raven teen caught an attitude. He shook his head and decided it best to let him cool down from whatever pms moment that was.

"You're asking the wrong question." Gaara nudged him against the shoulder with his elbow once he had come over. He wasn't the least bit startled when his young comrade actually complained.

"Look, he's the one with the emotional problems. I swear he acts like a girl half the time. One minute he's happy, the next he's mad, then he's sarcastic and so on and so on. I've already told him how I am!"

"Sound familiar?" He didn't mean to laugh but the blond did follow a similar pattern in a vague light. "You can be very easily bothered too."

"What? I can keep shit in most the time, he can't!"

"I guess you forgot how we all got in trouble so much, huh?"

Naruto's high horse was shot down faster than he thought it could it be. In truth, some memories were suppressed and or forgotten. "Well damn, I'm sorry. I don't know how many times I have to say it but-"

"I'm not the one you need to be apologizing too." Gaara took care of his comrade's cup for him seeing as though he was still upset by the previous remark. "Here, before you don't do something you'll regret like me… I should of taken you guys with me no matter how much of a suicide mission it would of been. At least we would've all been together."

Naruto sheepishly mumbled a, "Yeah," accepting the tea back. In all honesty, he wasn't sure if he would of went along.

"What I'm saying is-"

"I get it, mom. I'll go apologize." He spared him from having to be blunt, patting the ginger on the back before he left. "Missed ya too."

Gaara moved to the fridge thereafter, feeling like he was going to need something stronger to cope with all this...like coffee!

In the living room, Naruto smiled genuinely at the pissed raven on the low bench against the window, turned away. "Hey there, buddy. You won't forgive me even if I say sorry, huh?"

No response. So he tried another approach. He sat down behind Sasuke with tea in hand and leaned against him head first. "You know you are actually very useful, Sasuke? Without you, I wouldn't have left my mentors side or have found my brothers...in a sense," he admitted with a chuckle, finally understanding where his misinterpreted jealousy went wrong.

"It's not that!...I..I'm afraid that I am useless. I can't help you guys do anything." Sasuke brought his knees up to hug against his chest, eyes cast to the sunset outside. He'd been reminded of that moment back there at the school when he just froze.

"That can be fixed easily with a few broken bones in the process so don't sweat it so much!" A rough pat on the back was Naruto's way of showing extra reassurance. "You might be a natural at it too."

"Ha, we're going to disagree a lot aren't we?"

Naruto thought about it. Surely they'd butt heads since they were from very different paths. "Yeah if we keep blowing up whenever one of us makes a remark or misinterprets it."

Perhaps it could be limited.

"How about this? I promise I won't be such a moron, most of the time, and you promise you won't be so pissy unless rightfully so? We'll talk it out like civilized humans."

Sasuke chortled, spotting the cup held out to him from behind. "We can 'try'," he mumbled as he took it, taking a sip afterwards. "Mmm, he's good at this."

"Tsk, I'm better." He grumbled playfully nudging the raven's back.

"Was that jealousy again?"

"You sound like you have a problem with that, bud. I am an open and proudly jealous man. Speaking of which, I made you that cup, not Gaara just in case he asks if I gave it to you." Naruto heard a full hearty laugh this time. That moment opened something primal inside of him. He knew it had to have something to do with the raven's happiness. Regardless of what it was, it made him feel...really good.

Sasuke turned around to face the blond in deep thought, Indian style. "I never thought you would turn out to be the jealous type," he teased with a pinch of the other's cheek, "and ever so annoying with it."

"Hey, hey!" He pouted, rubbing the assaulted area. "Annoying is cute."

"Hn. The lies people tell you."

Naruto laughed briefly, returning the smile the raven was giving him, thinking about how cute Sasuke actually looked when this content. He coughed nervously, swiftly turning away to drop back down on his new/old friend's unprepared lap.

"What are you doing?"

"Pet me." Firm ocean eyes looked up to meet charcoal.

"Why the hell would I do that? You're not a dog, I think." Sasuke's face burned a faint pink since he was fighting it. It was such an odd request that he really didn't mind. He just wanted to know why without revealing too much.

"Because I like it." Naruto shrugged, keeping eye contact still. "And I'm troubled, so I thought it would feel nice." Being petted really did take his mind off things.

' _Lord…'_  If he didn't win a medal for mental self control that day then he'd except the one for physical. Sasuke took a breath and looked away, splaying his free hand through blond spikes, not surprised by how fluffy they were but more so how much the teen on his lap had slipped away so quick with half lidded eyes. "Weak spot much?"

"Nhn," he mumbled, nuzzling into the peculiar and somewhat familiar touch. Sadly, this was making him think more than not. ' _Dammit, damn, fuck, why? He even feels different... but so nice.'_ Other people had played with his hair many times but this was special. Perhaps because this really wasn't his first time with Sasuke. Hoping that was it, he wrapped those thoughts up and closed his eyes, enjoying the treatment.

"Hey, I'm going to cook up something to eat. You two can just feed each other to save a plate." They were already in the position so Gaara figured why not jest a little from the hallway.

"Don't ruin this for me, man." Naruto mumbled, nudging against the other's hand more to keep going.

Sasuke beamed inside at how serious the blond sounded for a second. Pleased to be needed that much, he carried on a little to cheerfully. His face lit up once he caught the ginger smirking at him. He promptly stopped his ministrations to explain himself. "I- It's not what it looks like!"

"You two are the cutest thing." A sly grin formed as Gaara crossed his arms.

"That's it!" Naruto sat up straight, aggravated at the lost of contact and somewhat embarrassed by that at the same time. He made a move towards a laughing ginger comrade until flashing headlights lights broke through the window and outlined his and Sasuke's shadows on the walls for a fleeting moment.

Everyone quieted down to where only a car's roaring engine could be heard as it drew closer, dying down. The sound of the vehicle doors shutting and front steps creaking was backed up with obscured voices.

No one made a move for the door because no one had really closed it. Gaara leaned back to look from around the living room entrance way to confirm this. He smiled and waved at the confused two standing out on the porch. He followed by pointing with a thumb out to the room in front.

"The idiot is really in there?!"

"Judging by Gaara's face, I'm guessing so."

The redhead shrugged, forcing them to come look for themselves.


	7. Us

Time really does change a person.

Naruto waited, hearing the door close and more rushed footsteps before they finally came into view. Why he couldn't move himself to achieve a better look at them was likely for the same reason they didn't either.

The shortest one of the two with unruly chocolate hair and red shaded triangles on his face, had had enough of the awkward silence. He straight out run to his long lost comrade. They clashed halfway, luckily not toppling each other over. He buried his face in the neck of Naruto's annoyingly orange shirt, picking up the residue of rain that had dried. "About fucking time! Did you bathe in the storm, blondy?"

"Aww, I've missed you guys too, but Kibbles... I can't believe you still wear these girly ass pins in your hair." Naruto snickered, holding on to a tuft that had one of the red clips in it.

"I missed your never changing wardrobe too!" Kiba chuckled, holding on tighter.

Sasuke shielded his own little laugh at the retort, recalling seeing orange for days as well at a younger age. He watched the peculiar one with the rather cute half-up ponytail come over and hug the blond as well, making it a group effort.

"Great! You're both such a drag already," Shikamaru said playfully and falsely bored like, towering over them both. He messed around in bright spikes, hearing that laugh that use to annoy him. It wasn't till they broke apart that he noticed his young friend's face. He gently tilted Naruto's chin his way and peered down with loathing growing inside but never showing outside. "Your face."

Kiba looked on as well, eyes wide at the scaring. "How the hell did that happen, Naruto?"

"Eheh. It's nothing!" Naruto moved away. He knew that wasn't going to be the end of it though, and Gaara was no help.

"Kakashi did that to him."

Shikamaru groaned, wincing and pinching the ridge between his eyes. "I don't even want to know what for. I'll take care of it when the time comes. Gaara," he carried on, turning to his older comrade by a year, ignoring the blond's protest, "we have a problem."

"Hm?" Gaara kicked into attention. "What happened?"

"One second. First, what's your name?"

Sasuke hustled to straighten himself up when Shika suddenly addressed him, tea set on the window sill behind. He tucked a long bang back over a ear, looked up and responded cordially with, "My name is Uchiha Sasuke."

"Uchiha? As in the son of Uchiha Fugaku?" From searching for Naruto, he caught word of the news talking about one of the missing children in particular due to their financial standing. He was hoping he was wrong though the likeness was definitely there.

"Yes." He nodded, confirming affiliation to his father.

Kiba shifted uncomfortably close to the raven, enabling the teen cornered to pick up on that animal farm scent. "Why are you here?"

For Sasuke to answer that without coughing at the strong smell, he leaned away as far as he could. "I'm here for Naruto like the rest of you."

"Is that so?"

"It is, Moriku." Naruto came to the rescue, moving the space invader away by the forehead. "He's the reason I'm here."

"It's Shika-never mind." Shikamaru, a tad annoyed, focused entirely on the nervous raven. "How did you, Uchiha, go about accomplishing this?"

"Sasuke just ran his mouth about how he knows me and all, getting everyone's attention including my own. I did most of the work actually," he reported proudly and placed a hand on said teen's shoulder despite the fact that he wasn't asked, again. His goal had been to try and to take the heat off Sasuke more than anything.

"That's not a good thing, Naruto." With a weary groan, the clever man turned back to Gaara. "Please tell me you cooked something? Searching for this deadweight was needlessly troublesome."

"You...You promised not to call me that anymore!" Naruto withdrew, triggered. "And at least we made it here! No thanks to you two by the way!"

"You made it by luck, not skill. You should of left him with his parents, 'by the way'." Shikamaru shook his head, doing something to the blond that Sasuke had received from his brother many times, a thunk on the forehead in the most lazy of ways. It barely made contact. "I do apologize for calling you that. However, I will not praise you for bringing a non-trained attention drawing baggage!"

Kiba nodded, glancing at the new teen he'd dubbed weird, but nice. The pleasant thing about him was his hairstyle choice.

"As if they'd leave him alone when I left! I did the right thing!" Naruto claimed boldly, rubbing his forehead. "He'll do just fine with us too."

Sasuke was grateful that his friend was sticking up for him. He couldn't help but think that the taller man had a point. He never showed an act for physical activities besides working, typing, and gathering data. A squeeze on his shoulder got his mind out of the dumps. Since it was from Naruto, it gave him some encouragement.

"Naruto, if he is staying, he will be trained. No ifs, ands, or buts. " Gaara followed up by nodding for Shika to follow him, wanting to go to the kitchen to discuss what the issue was.

When they were gone, Naruto took a knee in front of the raven teen, noting he hadn't said a word. "You good? Sorry, Morik-or Shikamaru, can be a bit tense. What I was really hoping for was Gaara's approval and you have it!"

"Heh..I heard! It's just annoying that Shika didn't give me a chance."

"He does deal in logistics. Rich boy's don't fit the fighting type. More like pay someone to fight for them. Unless your batman, iron man...people that don't exist." Kiba came over, plopping down beside him on the bench and pulling out a biscuit from inside his jean jacket pocket to snack on. He went on and said between chews, "It's nothing against you personally. More like your upbringing he has a problem with."

Sasuke turned to the scruffy guy and uttered sarcastically, "Thanks for clearing that up."

"You're welcome!"

Naruto quickly brought his friend's focus back before they cursed the other teen out. "He is right, Sasuke. I have no idea who he mentioned, but I know Shika. He can be very decisive. That doesn't mean he'll be correct all the time though."

"Just 99% of the time."

"Not helping, Umi!" Naruto growled, waving the pupper like male away.

"My name is Kiba!"

Sasuke shook his head at the two and shrugged. "Will he ever lighten up at least?"

"No," Kiba answered at the same time with the blond, rousing some laughter among the three. He was the first of them to stop upon hearing a bizarre clicking or ticking noise thanks to his amazing senses. Knowing they had no clocks in the house, it irritated him that he couldn't make it out. He put a finger to his lips and whispered "Sssh!". They obeyed, thankfully, giving him time to conclude what he was hearing.

"Kibbles? You alright?" Naruto scanned him, accompanied by a grin that faded after he saw how alarmed his friend looked. He went on alert himself, standing up and searching outside the window behind them. "I don't see anything."

"I hear something though."

"Maybe it's just Gaara cooking." Sasuke actually heard nothing and so took a guess.

"No, no he's not." Kiba got up this time and turned around on his knees to gaze out, hands on the windowsill. "It's like a weird gearing noise! Listen." He motioned them in closer to the glass. "Hear that? Now it's tapping."

" **WE KNOW YOU'RE ALL IN THERE!"** A bullhorn blared out from the silence, startling them enough to jolt back.

"Dammit! Sasuke, come here!" Naruto didn't give him much of a chance to do that. He grabbed the raven by the elbow and pulled him up and away from the window. The reason being because he had recognized that voice in an instant. "Kibbles!"

"I know! Don't fucking call me that!" Kiba hissed, backing up and reaching behind under his jean jacket to hold on to the grip of his revolver. A sudden click made him and the blond whirl around to the hallway, weapons drawn.

"Jesus, Shika, seriously?! A warning next time!" Naruto growled lowly, not noticing how close he had the raven held.

"Shut up and get over here!" Gaara barked in a whisper, motioning for them to hurry up. "All of them are out there!"

"Doesn't that seem like overkill?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and knelt down to open the hidden pathway in the floorboards of the hall. "You are here, Naruto. If it was just us they probably would've sent the lackeys in by now and leveled the place!"

" **I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE AWARE THAT WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED. WE DID TRAIN YOU GUYS WELL, SO WE DON'T EXPECT YOU TO DO SOMETHING STUPID AND MAKE THIS A BLOODBATH."**

"Kakashi sounds sarcastic as ever," Kiba scoffed, kneeling to help kick in the second metal hatch. "Listen to this, Sasuke. He's going to call out Naruto in a minute."

Sasuke tightened his grip on his friend's shirt, more concerned about getting the hell out of there.

It did take a while before the bullhorn came back.

" **MENMA….I KNOW YOU'RE CURIOUS. THAT, I DO UNDERSTAND, BUT IT'S TIME TO COME HOME. YOU WON'T BE PENALIZED FOR THIS. I CAN'T SAY THE SAME FOR EVERYONE ELSE. "**

Naruto tried to ignore those pleading words and focused on the passage now opened. Promptly, they began to file in, Gaara being the first to drop down on the dirt path. Shika followed suit and Kiba right after, increasing the dust cloud below. He then retracted Sasuke to help him down next.

"Hold on! Are you alright?!" Sasuke asked with sincere intent, grasping tan wrists as he was eased over the edge. "You are coming too?!"

Naruto nodded, smirking and deeply appreciative of his worry. "Careful, you might make me drop you." He chuckled at his raven friend who frowned at him so seriously. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to drop him when the front door burst into a shredded mass of gray smoke some ways behind, ringing his ears to a near deafening point. He covered them and rolled onto his back, luckily dealing with only dizziness and not pain due to training.

The three below managed to catch Sasuke in time from his short fall. He desperately tried to get back up.

"Naruto!" He shouted in a panic, shoving off whoever was trying to pull him away.

"He's fine! We've been through worst, Sasuke!"

"No, he's not!" Sasuke got a footing on an embedded rock jutting out from the wall and heaved himself up to the edge where he saw the struggling teen. He reached out to him, fingers barely grazing the right side of the orange collar fabric before fully grasping on, and pulled. Adrenaline kicked in when he saw the outlined figures start to approach from beyond the hazy doorway. The sound of tramping from all sides added to the rush, driving him to pull harder than before, achieving a grip on the left side.

He received some back up once they saw he was right. They aided him in the fall back so he didn't hit the ground with Naruto to hard.

Gaara quickly jumped up thereafter to grab the latch and close the first door. For the second, he shoulder bumped that one shut. When he came back down, he shouted, "Brace for contact!" He gave them that split minute to ready themselves. Soon after, he took a knee, pulled out a control switch from his pocket, flipped the latch open and pressed down hard on the button. A spark from the connection resulted in the tunnel quaking briefly.

As a consequence, their home above them exploded into a fire heap against the darkening skies.

_\::/_  Above Ground  _\::/_

Kakashi tossed the useless bullhorn to the ground and watched a good portion of their men come running out, covered in flames. The expendable assets screamed so high in agony that he was sure someone would report that as well besides the fire itself. At his safe distance across the road, he shoved a hand in his blazer pocket and pulled out a cigarette pack.

"Oh now's a great time to smoke!"

He glanced at his ruffled colleague and carried on, popping one out and giving it a light via a match. "You sound stressed, Jiraiya."

"Oh-hohooh! Stressed isn't even the beginning of it, buddy." The aggravated man named Jiraiya, scraped his fingers through his ivory overgrown and badly cut bangs, careful not to release the rest of his shoulder length hair from it's loose ponytail. "We should of just burst in there, beat the shit out of all of them and drag their ungrateful asses back to the new compound!"

"Is all that before or after we would've gotten blown up?" Orochimaru chuckled from his leaned in position over his motorcycle windscreen, strands of his lengthy black hair obscuring over his silver rim shades. His apprentice lay behind him against his back, bored.

"Fuck your sarcasm, Ochi!" He groaned, rolling his eyes at the other mentor childishly, gagging at a flick of the tongue he got back. "What the fu- Gross, man."

"Compared to what you did to Hinata?"

"Enough." The most malevolent and senile of the teachers approached from a charcoal truck, cane pretending to aid him along. "Bickering won't bring them to us."

"Nothing will if we're soft, Obito, and especially not as long as Kakashi's sentimental dick still aches for his annoying ass student."

Kakashi spared Jiraiya another glance before taking a big swig of his cig and blowing slowly. ' _If we weren't blood brothers…'_  he snickered wickedly inside before saying aloud, "You know for someone that practically gave me that 'annoying ass student', you talk an awful lot of shit about him."

"You both do." Obito shook his head, speaking up before the battle of words could begin. "Listen, we are all going to be gods together. Us, we four. We, stick with us."

"Gaahh, Is he going to lecture you guys about the future again by dwelling on the past?" Neji whined from behind his mentor, hands draping over his face in misery.

"I think so," Jiraiya responded and shrugged like he was just as disappointed.

"Oh god. Master, can I go sit with Sakura and watch those guys burn?"

Orochimaru nodded, laughing and reaching back to pat the teen's outer thigh. He said casually, "Go on, mon amour."

"Thank you!" He pecked his mentor's perverse lips before he left off to enjoy the show.

Kakashi did his best to keep his jealousy of their successful relationship inside, turning to the oldest for him to finish. "As you were saying."

Obito saw through him like knife, and so did the others. "I was saying this world and everyone in it, owes us. What you're forgetting, Kakashi, is the 'us' part I'm stressing so damn much."

"Finally someone else says it!"

"Jiraiya, I'm sorry, did you forget? You were once like him, dumb ass." He had to bring that up, no matter how painful it was to the outed man.

"Exactly, but at least I'm the dumb shit that got the fuck over it! He's the one now jeopardizing everything!" Jiraiya emphasized with both hands out to the accused. "Are we all just going to let his emotional weakness go on without punishment?!"

Obito turned to the man in question, sighing wearily. "Well, Kakashi...Are we? You know we're all ready to kill  _anyone_  that gets in our way and for the sake of our own way. That includes our now and former students when and if the time comes or calls."

"...I understand as much as you guys are aware of my thin feelings for him. You should already know you are all my family first," Kakashi assured them, deep down not trusting his own words. Every fiber in his body kept screaming opposite. His blond was just too precious to him. He shared a bed with the teen on occasion for crying out loud. The kid had brought him that much joy that he couldn't bear being apart from him at times, so this distance was killing him. Good thing he'd sorta gotten better at hiding it.

"Then it's settled!" Orochimaru cheered, revving up his Han purple motorcycle. "No more games. Neji, vámonos!" His lack of an accent or real knowledge of the language, all but butchered the word.

"Yes!" The pervert joined in, completely thrilled and calling out to his student. "Sakura, baby, let's go!" He hit the top of his truck enthusiastically, looking over at his still thoughtful brother in arms. "Hey, Kakashi, don't worry! If we catch him alive, you won't have to be nice anymore or patient! You can go all out! Fuck, borrow my room if you need it."

Kakashi felt a twinge in his stomach at that, not being one into forcing someone he cared about unless he really had to. He smiled anyway, winking in agreement and never finishing off his cigarette. He considered keeping Menma on a leash instead till he learned his lesson. If he didn't or did, he was never going to be allowed to leave again anyway.

"You know with all that power we will acquire, you could probably bend someone's mind in the right direction unbeknownst to them." Obito smiled, a hand on the longing man's back. "It isn't force if it doesn't hurt."

"Perhaps, but how will we catch them? They're likely miles underground by now and we've no idea in which direction. That fires going to last a bit as well. The men in blue will show up in no time so we'll have to clear them out."

Obito wasn't all that worried like Kakashi. "Of course, of course, but one of those kids will likely reveal themselves again or come after us. We'll talk about it more as we go on a little run for supplies tomorrow now that we are short of men and both lack apprentices. Orochimaru and Jiraiya will continue to track any extra links to the heir in the meanwhile. You cool with that?"

"Do I have a choice?"

_\::/_ Below Ground  _\::/_

Sasuke had shielded the blond during the blast and so took much of the sprinkles of dirt on his back and in his hair from the shaking of the earth. He was now desperately trying to wipe it off, merely staining his clothes and messing up his hair more. At least he got a thank you for his heroism. He hung in the back by the teen he saved. A faint light loomed over all of them from a flashlight that Shikamaru had ahead.

"I expected you to be the last person to help me, but thanks again," Naruto said, shoulder nudging the raven. His hearing wasn't all that well and only improved due to how quiet it was. The silence made everything eerie however, aggravating him enough to make him keep talking, "You might be trainable after all."

Sasuke smiled, having stumbled from the bump. "Hmph, how's your head, boss?"

"Good! I landed on something comfy."

"Har-har." He smiled, leaning against the blond's shoulder and holding his arm. "Be happy I don't make you carry me as compensation."

Naruto couldn't shrug him off since that just made the raven laugh adorably which made his face burn a bit. He gave up and rested his chin on the shorter teen's head, picking up that ultisol fragrance. "You know I will, right? And are you aware your hair stinks?"

"Mmm, embrace it, best friend. Embrace it."

Shikamaru glimpsed back at the cackling with bitterness. "You'd think he'd take this a little more seriously," he mumbled that to himself, only one person in range to hear that.

"Shika, if I didn't know any better I'd assume you were kind of...you know."

"Gaara...don't start that mental game with me." Besides, that wasn't true. If anything, he was more pissed at Naruto for putting any amount of effort into someone they didn't know atop the fact that the Uchiha kid was a liability. It put them all at risk.

"Okay. Why don't we chat about something else like how they found us?!"

"You say that as if it was my fault." Shikamaru didn't bother to look and confirm that he was correct by expression, the silence did that for him. "We weren't spotted."

"Are you sure? You told me in the kitchen that you saw some of our mentors at the school." Gaara looked him up and down, seeing no sign of wavering or guilt.

"It was my fault!" Kiba shouted, stopping in his tracks behind them, head down and hands buried deep in his jacket holds. He couldn't take it anymore. They were going to fight about it till someone coughed up an explanation. Sadly, he had the only real one.

"How?"

Kiba had no idea who asked that due to being so caught up in his regretful thoughts. He answered anyway with, "After we checked the school, we went scoping out the town for Naruto... I spotted our mentor at the public market."

The only one that was directed to was the redhead of the group. "And?"

"H-He was by himself so I thought I'd just go see what he was doing."

"Kiba! What in the actual fuck were you thinking?!"

He took a step back, feeling and fearing Shika's displeasure by his voice alone. "I.. didn't think he'd see me...or follow us! He looked so tired! He has a cane now too, Gaara. I don't think he's doing well. He misses us... Especially you!"

"I. Don't. Care." Gaara's right brow twitched at the mere thought of his former mentor. "That monster could suffocate slowly in an hour glass and I'd be there to watch and count every single damn grain that fell."

It made sense that he would feel that way. Kiba hadn't seen the extent of cruelty their mentor could do. He knew the man was wrong in taking them but he didn't treat him all that bad personally. He didn't know that was the point though and so was filled with ten times more heart for him than the others. "Of course you would."

"Pardon?"

"Gaara, let it go." Shikamaru tried, but the ginger moved right past him.

"Repeat that again."

Kiba bit back, refusing to look up into burning, mascara encircled emerald. He missed the hurt there as a result.

"Guys can we beat the crap out of each other when we don't have limited time?" Naruto jested, attempting to ease the situation, Sasuke still at his arm. "I'd like to end Shikamaru myself later."

Gaara didn't back off though and that made it all the more uncomfortable in that chilly tunnel. "Obito prided himself on time so I think you're right. In fact, our mentor could wait eons if it meant he'd get what he wanted in the end. Wouldn't you agree, Kiba?"

He nodded, lead adrift to where this was going. "So?"

"So you should also know that once he gets what he wants, he immediately searches for something else."

Kiba finally looked up when his comrade said that, becoming engulfed in his misery. They'd never had strain between each other. He realized now it had all been folded up and locked away deep down inside for an extremely long amount of time. "What did he do that made you hate him so much besides the obvious?"

"...He got you once he'd achieved his objective with me." Gaara scratched the back of his head and exhaled. Four years he'd had to suppress his experience and so he thought he was over it. He laughed softly at that lie. He was happy in the end because now that the truth was out, he didn't have to worry about it later. Neither did he have to directly explain what happened to everyone besides Naruto. Kiba's spontaneous embrace and rambles of apologies, brought him out his thoughts. "Aah, i-it's okay! That happened so many years ago! I'm not, nor was ever mad at you either! I was just worried he'd hurt you too..."

Naruto mournfully watched on, remembering exactly what the redhead was talking about. He'd figured it out when he got older and came to appreciate Gaara for protecting all of them for that long. It didn't help his view of Obito in the least, but it made him more aware of how the mentors worked. He was his teacher's only student. How long would that have been for though? Who else would have suffered if he'd… A squeeze felt at his right arm brought his attention from the depths to the one that caused it.

"You guys need counseling after all this is over!" Sasuke whispered gravely, considering throwing a group therapy session himself once they had time or forcing one. "I'm not joking either, so you can grin all you want!"

"Aha, I know." He patted the raven's hand on his bicep and looked on at the two still hugging it out. "I know."


	8. Legend Time

Shikamaru had already made plans to take care of Obito a long time, for he'd known in secret too. After a while of contemplating the perfect ploy and self hatred, he checked his brand cell for the time. He rechecked it over and over again when they hadn't broken apart yet. Not wanting to be the bad guy in this situation or appear to soft, he somewhat politely asked, "Can we get back to moving now? It'll take us half the night to get our bags and the rest to get to the boat if we delay any further. We can brood later."

"You plan on walking all night?" Sasuke began to worry more that they might also suffer from insomnia or recurring nightmares and so on. Whatever the case is, they were definitely psychological. While his intentions were pure, Shika didn't see it that way at all.

"Yes, Mr. Uchiha, all night. We don't have time for spa stops, nor beauty sleep at the moment in an old mine," he stated blatantly, "Naruto can carry you in case you tire to soon."

"You say that as if it would be a problem? We were actually just talking about that." Naruto grinned, getting a kick out of how that made his clever comrade's brow twitch.

"Don't taunt him, Naruto."

Naruto looked down at the raven teen and smiled, whispering with a hand shielding a corner of his mouth from the others. "Trust me, have some fun with this! He will never let up on you."

Sasuke thought about it, not really trusting that advice. Shika looked to be someone that was convinced by action rather than just words. That's all fine and dandy if Naruto wasn't caught in the crossfire as well. To spare them both from any further backlash and get a good standing in his friends world, he was going to have to prove himself. He couldn't do that by continuously holding onto the blond for support both physically and mentally.

"Sasuke?" Naruto tilted his head to the side when the raven suddenly departed. He looked him up and down in worry.

"Hm?" came the well acted oblivious reply.

"You okay?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I haven't eaten anything so..."

"Wait a minute!" Kiba freaked, breaking the lengthy hug to check his pockets for more treats, coming up empty. "Our bags have extra food in it right?!"

The ginger before him was relieved.

"All the more reason for us to get going. Let's hope we have enough." Shikamaru's last remark was barely muttered as he started the trek back up. He didn't care if it did or didn't hit it's target for it was somewhat true. They'd only planned this getaway in mind with four people. That last bag was definitely supposed to go to Naruto. Now they had to share.

Sighing inwardly, he sort of wished someone would start a conversation back up. Should he stay within his thoughts any longer, he'd go insane.

They all had a thing about silence.

Yet, no one said a word, so it was up to him. He grumbled, checking the time again, knowing he couldn't go another thirty minutes like this. "So, Mr. Uchiha, do you know what we're planning on doing here?"

Sasuke looked up from his little game of 'pass the rock' with Naruto, missing his turn. He heard the blond cheer to himself and so rolled his eyes, responding to Shika's question afterwards. "Something about stopping your mentors from ruling the world with some rocks?"

"You listened!" Naruto fake gasped, patting the teen on the back.

"Yes, fantastic. Did he tell you they already have them?" He expected the raven to freak out. That never happened. He learned at that moment that Sasuke was more level headed than whiny, or just oblivious to the danger.

"How come we're not bowing to their every whim then?"

"They need the heir first," Gaara jumped in the conversation, hands up behind his head, "According to the little legend behind it that is. You ever heard of ' _The Four Kings'_?"

"Nope!"

Kiba seized that opportunity right there to inform their new tag-a-long himself. He spun around to walk backwards in vigor to the two now technically in front of him. "Oohh, can I tell you?!"

"Dear god, look at what you've done, Sasuke!" Naruto covered his ears, sick of hearing that story after so many years of it being drilled into his head, and for something deeper he didn't quite get yet.

"If it's making the boss cringe, I can't wait to hear it, Kiba." He smiled, ready to find out what crazy idea they were going off of.

Kiba fist bumped the air in excitement. He loved the little rhyme to much for the blond's taste. He started with enthusiasm from the beginning, carrying the tone of a narrator; " _Four foolish Kings ruled one land. Four foolish Kings dwelt in magic banned. Each took a stone to call their own. Each filled by those that sat at the throne. It granted them gifts much like the ones in their dreams. It also begot a warning from the oracle of these kings. Let no other four men hold all four stones. Let none hold them but you royals alone. If so they shall achieve either power or despair. If it be by the life taken from your last true heir. Fear then scorched in the four kin. Fear was what caused unspeakable action to begin. In one night, the noble bloodlines ended. In one night, the king's people concocted. They took the stones and so hid them well. They couldn't destroy them, so they tell_." He ended on that eerie note, making ghost noises and wavy hand movements to the amused raven. "Spooky isn't it?"

"Indeed." Sasuke nodded, a tad startled to a curious point. "Is that all?"

"I think so. Shika?" Kiba spun back around to the man with the most answers. "Did I miss something?

"You mean anymore to the rhyme? No, not that I know of." He was sure there were parts unknown to them that they were missing. For now, that would do. "Any questions, Uchiha?"

"A lot. One, how do they find the last heir?" Sasuke nudged Naruto in the meantime to let him know the story was over, chuckling when the blond looked so relieved.

"You just don't know, Sasuke! Kibbles over there can bark that story a thousand times and not miss a word." A tiny sharp rock met his forehead out of nowhere at that remark, reddening the area quite nicely. "OW much?!

"That's not my damn name and you know it!" Kiba snarled, another pebble ready for launch.

"You guys done back there? I was having a conversation with Mr. Uchiha." The quarreling continued despite his clear aggravation with it. On the plus side, it wasn't a problem for much longer. The raven actually joined them up front, taking the matter more seriously and earning himself a few bonus points to counteract the negative he was in.

"The heir? How do they plan on finding her or him? And if they do..are they planning on killing them?"

"They will do whatever the legend tells them to do," Gaara stated as bluntly as possible, knowing the people he used to work for in and out, suppressing terror at thinking about them. "As for how, their method for finding the heir would be hunting down the children that found the stones during the activity events at the Kingdom, assuming a link. That only gets them so far though."

"I see. That means one of you four might be it." Sasuke involuntarily held on to the gem around his neck, glancing back at his blond having a 'who's the loudest' contest with the animal like teen. "Why take the extra kids and come to my school?"

"You mean like Naruto? I'm not sure." The clever one shrugged, saying, "He was likely taken for insurance, labor, or some supposed connection to the lore. I can safely say they had to have a tie in to each family to get easier access after the event. As for your school, not a clue. Hopefully Naruto will tell us later."

A memory activated within the raven even if it wasn't exactly a pleasant one. "At Naruto's funeral, his dad mentioned someone named Jiraiya. I can't remember what for. He did sound like he was new and close to them."

"That's probably how they got him then." The next thing Shikamaru did was whistle with his fingers, calling Kiba at his side in an instant. "How far are we from our boat?"

The teen listened out for that beautiful coast sound of the waves crashing against the banks, faintly picking it up. "Another hour or two."

"So that means we should be coming up on our bags in a bit." Gaara stretched, ready for snack. It was a good thing they always prepared for emergencies the night before. He added thirst above his hunger after hearing an odd trickling sound. He wasn't the only one noticing it either. All eyes averted behind them. The flashlight danced around till it revealed to the tanned backside of the culprit. His parched-ness vanished immediately.

Naruto winced at the sudden brightness, a free hand up when he glanced back from emptying the snake. Grinning, he shouted, "You fucking perverts! Look somewhere else!"

"Well could you not piss any louder?" Shika grumbled, light still on the blond, forgetting he was dealing with someone that had no shame in their game.

"It's not my fault that everything Gaara makes goes right through me!"

Kiba laughed, but not at the teen on display. His bucket of joy was caused by how awkward Sasuke was reacting to the whole thing by shielding their face. "Why are you acting like you've never had to take a piss before?"

"I-I... didn't think he was literally tan everywhere." He probably should've kept that to himself. He did keep those eyes covered. Their laughter didn't help his embarrassed state and especially not Naruto's comments.

"Aww, Sasuke! I thought you knew everything about me." With a shake and tuck, he zipped back up, ready to get moving again. "You can uncover your eyes now. I know you peeked. It's okay."

Sasuke shook his head, praying he could go the rest of the journey like this. "I'm good!"

"You sure? Something's up with your pants." The raven fell for it, panicking and looking down just to be flicked up on the nose. "Made ya look!"

"Childish and disgusting." Shikamaru sighed, leaving them to their moment and continuing the walk.

It was probably for the best they didn't see how red faced the raven teen had gotten. Only one of them might have an idea of how the Uchiha felt and he'd like to keep it that way. Unfortunately, he was now back in the back with Naruto again, dealing with his constant taunting. "This is the hundredth time you've asked! I do not imagine you naked!"

"You sure? It's not a bad thing! We've all seen each other bare ass except for Gaara. In fact, Kiba is a closet nudist!" Naruto dodged an incoming pebble. The second one got him in the temple again. "What'd I say that time?!"

"There's nothing wrong with showing prowess in your body! Animals don't wear clothes and they do it in the open!"

"I don't know if I'd go that far." Gaara mumbled, having had time to barely get over his traumatizing experience enough to actually consider being with someone that truly loved him. "You, Shika?"

"Eh, depends who it is and what the day is like." Shikamaru got such an astounded look from the ginger that it actually made him chuckle. His own experiences led him to be like this."What?"

"You seriously would do that in the open?!" The response he got was a shrug. "Oh god, have you?"

"Of course he has!" Kiba announced for him enthusiastically, jumping on the pony-tailed man's back. He was cursed at for his actions, but never dropped. "What about you, Gaara? You got someone you like enough to bang in the ope-"

"NO! Never!"

"Technically you're still a virgin so that makes sense."

Gaara hadn't expected that analysis from Shika, nor was he sure he liked whatever look that was he'd gotten from him. His heart skipped a beat when a smirk etched on there. "What the hell are you thinking about!?"

"Aww, you haven't had your first real kiss yet either!" The animal boy cooed, reaching over fruitlessly to poke the ginger's burning cheek.

"Gah! Obviously! You all would've known if I had someone. Also, I'd like to add that I'm not the only one here so back off!"

"You're not, Gaara! Sasuke's clearly a virgin too if you've seen his room." Naruto outed the raven and received such a look of betrayal he had to make up for it. "And so am I just for the record!" The things he did for love… Love's a bit of a strong word. Maybe for friendship. Yeah, for friendship.

"You are?"

The blond barely caught that uttered question, eyes cast to the one it came from. "Yeah, why?"

"Checking." Sasuke looked away too quick, unknowingly to him. He was just happy his friend hadn't been abused in anyway like that, positive they'd likely not tell him.

"See! I'm not alone so go tease them," Gaara huffed, arms crossed.

"You're still the oldest."

"Your point is, Shika?" He rolled his eyes, lost to what the genius was aiming at. "You're only a year under me."

"I thought you'd have met someone or had someone in mind when you were ready that is." Shikamaru played it off naturally. "So, that year before I found you, you didn't meet anyone at that time or now?"

"No, but oh would you look at that, I think I see our bags!"

For the first time since they'd known each other, Kiba caught Shika looking blank for a split second. He didn't know why. They had actually found their bags laid out against the wall ahead. He got off the man to go get his own duffel.

"Great! All of them are here! Sasuke, you and Naruto will share his bag as well as some of our supplies if you need it." Gaara started handing them off individually, intercepting the lack of eye contact from the second oldest comrade.

They each opened their bags to munch on a couple of protein bars, dowse water bottles, and wash hands before carrying on.

Ever so close to relaxation now, the most untrained one of the group began to feel the need for such rest, having eaten beyond his fill. He didn't want anyone to know though and so tried his best to stay awake. He began failing slightly and bumping into the blond.

"Easy does it, buddy. I told you not to eat so many."

"I know. I'm sorry." Sasuke smiled at the familiar word of friendship, rolling his shoulders to wake up. All his efforts were rendered useless when he felt an arm around his waist, pulling him into warmth.

"I can carry you if you want?"

The raven blushed, to exhausted to fight it back like before. "No, I've- I'm okay!"

"Mhm." He never removed his arm and the weary teen hadn't tried to make him either. A knowing smile stretched on whiskered cheeks when he felt Sasuke begin to slowly lean against him more, missing a few steps that jerked him awake each time.

"I'm okay!"

"I hear you loud and clear." Naruto chuckled, enjoying the teens willpower. "You got this."

"Obviously I-I do." The raven's words slowed and broke to an audible level, body going limp slowly. Eventually he couldn't fight it anymore. He wasn't sure when he blacked out. He at least knew he didn't hit the ground. The feeling of the blond's body heat had intensified, combating the ever growing cold air and so making the transfer fairly comfortable. All of that recognition went away when he hit deep sleep mode, completely unaware when they made it.

\::/ Rough Morning \::/

Sleep was a necessity that Kakashi wasn't allowed to have that night because of two things; vaguely loud noises and lack of Menma. He should've understood properly what that smiley face text meant back at the school. He'd thought the blond was saying he was good and retrieved by the others. In reality, it was the exact opposite. His trust blinded him from basic instincts more and more.

There was a time in his life when he honestly didn't care about anyone this much. Growing up an unwanted orphan in the slums of a dying town was likely when that started. Later he met the three boy's he'd come close to calling a dysfunctional family in a few years. They fed each other, kept each other alive and vengeful. That was all there was to it. He was and will always be teased constantly for his weird emotional awareness. There was thus no nurturing of sorts or pity until he received a certain blond kid. They were the same bouncy child celebrating their 15th birthday on the television set in his hotel room.

" _ **What'd you get me, Kakashi?! I've already waited like five hours!"**_

Kakashi smiled at the ecstatic voice radiating from the TV. He scratched his head, mumbling his response in sync with the vid, "Relax, kid.." He was glad he couldn't see himself thanks to being the one holding the camera. He probably would've drunken in further homesickness.

He looked away from the video when Menma was given his present. Which was a plain white box with one orange ribbon on top. He could hear the pretend scratchy opening sound the kid made out of pretend. He turned back to the screen to see a large plain orange shirt be pulled out.

" _ **Oooh! I'll grow into it!"**_

That's why that kid was special. Most brats they'd had around would complain to high heaven or fake gratitude, not Menma. The blond was a black sheep like him in his world. He appreciated the littlest of things despite having a well financed family he didn't remember at that point. Kakashi himself had to learn value the hard way. Perhaps he was a tad jealous at the kid's lucky start. That was taken out during the memory repression phases. It always took a couple of years, but they'd all forget sooner or later through the extremely painful process.

He made up for it and gave the kid new memories and a name accompanied by questionable answers to certain topics. Saw how that turned out, and now he had to fix it. Yawning, he turned the TV off and pushed up off the bed. He was ready to get his blond back, hoping it to be that simple though Menma had found out the truth.

A knock at the door called him its way from his mid dress routine, only succeeding in putting his black slacks on. He opened the door to meet Orochimaru and his disarray robed wear, hinting he was likely the cause of all that noise last night. "Good morning, Ochi. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Kakashi, who the hell talks like that? Want to borrow Neji? You could use a refresher." The pasty man grinned, raking fingers through to group his messy hair back in place. "I'm sure he won't mind either."

"Ah, I'm good. Thank you." He understood they didn't give a damn about their students. Personally, he didn't care for theirs either which was the second reason he'd never touch them. First being he didn't want to have to share Naruto if they ever got to that point.

"You sure? Deprived has never suited you."

"I assure you I'll be fine once I have my stu-stone." Kakashi nodded, correcting himself at the last minute.

"... Let me give you some advice, following Obito's tactics will guarantee you to wait a long time for that dick to get sucked. With your student being Naruto, you might as well do it yourself. You don't have to put your heart in it all the time, man. Just your dick."

There are endless amounts of mysteries in the world left to be solved and his comrades were definitely three of them. "I'm not following his game, Ochi. I swear. Shouldn't you and Jiraiya be out looking for the heir?"

"He's still very busy. We'll get to it eventually though so don't worry about it. I just wanted to let you know the options open."

"I thank you again, but I am needed elsewhere. Obito wishes to leave out in a few minutes." Kakashi parted with a meek bow, the most relieved to have that conversation over. At least he wouldn't have to put up with them on the ride. Obito wasn't any better. The oldest preferred to show than tell. Kakashi liked to keep his feelings inside, and anyone else around that object of his desire far away or minced in a ditch somewhere.

Which reminded him that he had to personally take care of that Uchiha kid, no one else.

\::/ Cuddle Boat \::/

Speaking of the Uchiha, he was as cozy as possible. He'd had a nice and terrifying dream that he'd found his long lost friend, met their crazy friends, someone got shot, and a house exploded, ect. He adjusted to the weird dream surrounded by a thousand pillows. Warm pillows, possibly moving pillows... pillows that wouldn't allow you to move yourself no matter how hard you tried to stretch out. That would cause alarm in just about anyone. His eyes fluttered open to gaze peculiarly at a tan collarbone that he followed over to the neck. He couldn't look any further since he was held so close and buried under a chin. He realized at that time it wasn't a dream at all. Turning beet red, he closed his hands together to his own chest since they were previously resting on Naruto's bare one.

' _Someone help me!'_  he screamed inside, squeaking when he was pulled in tight enough for his lips to accidentally brush against the other teen's body.

"Sorry!" Sasuke shouted in a pathetic whisper, covering his mouth. There was no telling what might 'accidentally' happen next, so he tried find a way out. Maybe he should kick him? No, no that would hurt him unnecessarily. All he had to do was wake him up like a normal person. He took a deep breath and tapped the blond's shoulder, receiving nothing but a deep groan and a snuggle. ' _I'm going to die...'_

He tapped him again, harsher, knowing if the blond hugged him any closer he'd likely found out how he truly felt physically. "Naruto, could you wake up?" he gritted out through his teeth nervously, leaning away becoming more impossible. "Please!"

"Mhfhgm, I?"

What kind of incoherent question was that? Sasuke whimpered, wriggling to loosen up that way. That right there got mistaken for a plea to cuddle more. Strong arms reeled him in and up near the the blond's face, a hand firmly on the back of his head. ' _Okay! pain it is!"_

Naruto didn't experience anything really that painful by his standards. He only couldn't breath out of his nose for a second that also began to itch. Wrinkling it up, he opened his eyes to the cutest sight of a fuming tomato with chicken hair.

"Naruto!"

He didn't wince at that exclamation. All he did was blink and grin, asking, "Something wrong, bud?"

"Let me go!"

The sleepy teen pouted, unaware of what the problem was.

"Can't you lay with me for a few more minutes?"

"Why..?" Sasuke, honestly curious, was surprised when his friend actually looked away in embarrassment.

"I'm not use to sleeping alone."

"Oh my god," he mumbled, fretting like crazy. "You've never-did he…!?"

Naruto could see where this was going and so put an end to it. "It's not like that! Nothing happened, alright? I'm just use to people being around." He flicked him on the nose playfully. "Stop being so negative."

"Actually it's called being caring, worried, ect," Sasuke retaliated, pinching a tan cheek. "I'd be happy to stop all that if you'd like."

"Ahh, okay! Just tell me how many years you spent building up that manhunt in your room?" He got him there. He flashed a wide smile and said, "Exactly, so judging by your silence, you won't stop caring about me anytime soon." A snuggle followed next and a surprise when the raven teen hugged him back with slender arms around his neck.

No matter how innocent that gesture may look, Sasuke's motives were anything but. He so played off the defeat with a drawl to his voice as if tired. "I guess you're right."

"Obviously. I am boss, remember?" Naruto started to wish he'd taken that question back. The raven's next remark sent a spray of tingly sensations down his spine.

"Mhmm, I wonder how the boss will react when his friends catch us like this," Sasuke said in a provocative way which made a blond respond all shaky.

"W-What are you talking about?! This is normal!"

Sasuke smirked up at his friend and tightened his hold, bringing him closer to whisper in his ear, "I don't know. You sound so uncertain, boss." He snickered when the blond tried to pull him off after catching on what he was trying to do again.

"Sasuke, let me go!"

"Like you did me? Nah, let's sleep together! It's normal, remember?" A full laugh soon broke out uncontrollably from thin lips when Naruto resulted to ancient effective methods of freedom, tickling. He positioned himself on top and attacked along the raven's sides, ignoring the mirth filled cries of defeat.

Naruto indeed won, but that euphoria he got from hearing the raven laugh like that and smile in such a happy light again, devised him to continue. So over and under the messy shirt he went, not sure if it was typical for him to like the flushed and arching reaction that much, nor how nice and easy it was to glide his fingers over creamy skin.

What he did know was that he didn't want anyone else to see Sasuke like this. It seemed to special, and so he honestly believed he could keep that joy to himself.

"Aww, Sasuke's ticklish!"

The two on the bed froze in session because that voice didn't belong to either of them.


	9. Awareness

Onyx and azure orbs slowly drifted to their left at the doorway where Kiba sat watchfully on the polished wooden flooring. His hands cupped his feet together as knees were slightly elevated. He rocked back and forth, eager for them to continue. His big green hoodie, he'd mostly slept in, moved with him. "Don't stop on my account!"

Naruto's right eye twitched, peeved. "H-How long have you been there?"

"Weeelll." Kiba put a finger to his chin. He really did have to think on it because he'd been there for quite a while, including some bits during the night. It wasn't intentional. He'd originally come there to get something but forgot what it was when he saw them all cuddled. To save himself from looking to creepy, he'd say, "Since this morning, I think."

"You think?!" the blond growled, removing his hands from up the other teen's shirt and preparing to use them for something else.

"Boss, it's not that serious."

"Yes it is!"

Sasuke smirked up at his raging friend and poked his cheek. "Why?"

"Because he-This is a private matter!"

"Then shouldn't you have locked the door?" Kiba was right by all means. That was what enraged his comrade to no end.

"Stay right there, Kiba!"

He indeed stayed to watch his whiskered friend hustle out of the bed to quick and kiss the floor as a result, lavender boxers shown to the world. After getting a good giggle out of that, he took off running, and Naruto indubitably chased him.

"Get your ass back here, kibbles!"

Sasuke shook his head, taking this perfect chance to wash up in peace. He checked the one dresser drawer by the bed for clothes. The choices were kind of odd and ninja like in his opinion. He grabbed a short, sleeveless, tie waist romper and other assortments before hurrying off to what he luckily guessed was the small bathroom in the compacted room itself. Inside, only a stand in shower, toilet, and towel rack resided with one mirror by the light switch.

He closed the door and went to work removing his dirty clothes, not noticing or hearing the curtains move apart behind him. Once in his birthday suit, minus the gem around his neck still, he stretched out weary muscles before lifting up the toilet seat lid. He rolled his shoulders and went to drain the main vein until he heard a tapping sound on ceramic. It got his attention and made him glance around. The sound occurred again, but this time he looked down and witnessed the most terrified hen of his life in the shower stall.

That wasn't terror though, it was utmost disgust. It's pupils widened and it's awkward neck movements increased in a ticked off like state the more it saw.

"Uhhhh." Sasuke felt the need to seriously cover himself, thinking that was the root of the problem. Oh no, it wasn't his bare ass-ness that was offending the animal. He found out the true trigger when he followed it's twitching gaze up. "Oh god."

"BUCKAAAWK!" it screeched pure hate before it furiously attacked the naked teen trying to shield himself.

Sasuke's screams ran throughout the entire ship, catching the attention of the gentlemen in the mess deck. They charged to his aid, the blond in the lead. Upon entering the room, they came to witness Kiba's chicken appear thrown from the bathroom where it fretted in the air to a wall and skimmed down, clucking away in distress.

"Uke!" Now he remembered what'd he been there for. Kiba ran to his precious little animal, fearing the raven might have hurt him. The chicken embraced its owner, his soothing touch not calming down it's spite for the new hen on board.

Naruto, on the other hand, troubled himself with the teen locked in the bathroom."Sasuke! Sasuke, open up. Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine!" He'd received a few nicks that he didn't think was necessary to tell anyone just yet. They were small, not too serious. Blood was drawn and so he had to clean the few scrapes that decorated his arms, shoulders and right thigh. He turned on the shower immediately and stepped inside, wincing at the needle like stings coursing all over. What took his mind off of it was the bickering outside between the blond and the owner of the still livid chicken.

"Kiba, why the hell aren't your pets back at the barn?!" Naruto lashed out, using his anger for him as a distraction to not break the bathroom door down.

Kiba quirked a brow at the dumb question and laughed sarcastically. "Because my Uke likes the ocean and guards the boat from mice while we're inland!..Oh, also, we blew up the fucking barn!"

They continued like that till someone, likely Gaara, made them take their fight elsewhere. This gave the teen in the shower some time alone to ponder on what other animals might roam the boat, but more so about how pissed his growing friend sounded. He rejoiced inside, liking how protective and thoughtful Naruto was becoming so quickly. He refrained from thinking too much of it though as usual. He kept that optimism up of just being best friends with his old pal. They seemed pretty close to getting back to that point anyway.

With content, he finished his shower, dried off and went on about his routine. The bearable slashes now a visible bright red against his skin showed off thanks to the outfit. He didn't necessarily need to hide them since he needed to properly disinfect them first anyway. He headed out of the room with no footwear, the cold floors feeling oh so nice. The slightly swaying and narrow hallway he came to, only went on from his left to his right. He assumed the right led up to the deck where stairs were slanting up to. The aroma of food hit him strongly from his left, so on he went.

He headed down the polished paneling halls, picking up voices the closer he got. He pushed the refined wooden door fully open, coming into view of their awaiting eyes at the booth dining table, three shirtless out of one, causing a blush. They scanned him up and down, making him a bit self conscious since the romper was showing off a lot of his skin too...scarred skin. "Sorry I took so long!"

Naruto shook his head, the first to move, keeping silent. He knew if he opened his mouth it would only be to curse the pupper teen out for each scar on Sasuke. Which would have gotten him time in solitary. Sighing, he held back his frustration and gestured with a med-kit for the raven to follow him over to the bench couch so he could patch him up.

"Are you in any kind of pain?" Gaara asked as he got up to assist, fixing his red over-sized shirt that had a sleeping panda on it.

"No. Well, not anything excruciating. Oh! How's Uke, Kiba?" He surprised the sullen teen who was now further unable to look at him without feeling awful about the whole ordeal.

"He's okay...I'm sorry for what he did."

"Pfft, it's okay! I did strip in front of him so he had every right." Sasuke smiled, taking a seat and holding out his arms to his aid. "Plus, I've been through worst."

Naruto opened the kit and went to work all while wondering what the raven had meant. "How so?"

"I use to do odd jobs for money." The aghast look he got from his friend made him realize how that sounded. "Not like that! I cleaned gutters and pools and stuff!"

"I thought you came from a wealthy family," Shika prodded from his new position at the fridge, retrieving their new tag-along's plate to heat up.

"They cut me off. I was to 'obsessed', as they put it, in finding out what happened to Naruto. So I had no choice but to find my own way."

"Determination, good," Gaara complimented, dabbing a bit of alcohol over a cut with a cotton ball, chuckling at the wince it caused. "I hope you keep that same momentum with us."

"I'm sure he will." The blond grinned, taking care of Sasuke's left arm. "He's still obsessed with me." It was clearly a joke. The way the one teased had blushed at it though, lead him to think otherwise for a moment.

"Obsessed or not, Gaara's right. He's going to need to keep up that energy in order to survive with us till this is over." The timer on the microwave counted down as he carried on, "Speaking of survival, you're basic training starts in a few hours after you eat this lovely breakfast prepared for you by our redheaded virgin on board."

Gaara twitched at that. "Was that really required of you, Shika?"

"Was what?" Shikamaru yawned, pissing the older comrade off even more. He continued to play dumb, scratching the back of his neck through bed hair. "Anyway, like I was saying, you will eat and we will all train you afterwards in intervals. Meanwhile you're consuming, we will also brief you on what we have planned-..Hold on, I'm sorry. Gaara? Did I say something wrong? You're giving me a look I can't quite place but it's bothersome."

With his face deadpan, Gaara said,"Please... carry on."

"If you wish. That was pretty much it though. Any questions, Mr. Uchiha?"

Sasuke shook his head, answering curtly with, "No." He was more interested in how cautious Naruto was being with the alcohol unlike the other help.

"Perfect! Foods on the table when you're ready." Shika laid it down after it was done, smacking Kiba's hand from trying to steal a piece of bacon off the plate. "You've had yours! Go tend to your pets since you've already been briefed."

With a pout, Kibbles left in a drag.

"Done," Gaara announced after finishing up the last patch work on the raven's right arm. He then moved to a scratch he spotted outside near the edge of the outfit on the teens thigh. "Good thing Uke didn't cut you up to dee-OW!" His hand had been slapped away by the blond that was ready to do it again. "What I do?!"

Naruto glared, caring way too much than he should about how close the ginger's hands got. "Don't what me! You knew what you were doing!"

"I honestly don't!"

"Then I suppose your hand was just moving south on its own!"

It took him awhile to understand what the blond had meant till Sasuke hesitantly rolled up his hem, showing it more plainly.

"H-He didn't know, Gaara."

"Well maybe if he wasn't taking on a snail's pace over there, he might have!" Gaara grumbled, moving back down to continue.

"I'm only going slow because I don't want to hurt him and- HEY! I'll take care of it!"

His hand was shooed away this time, forcing him to give up. "You know what, fine!"

Shikamaru chuckled as the ginger joined him over at the table, fuming to himself. "You alright?" he asked, receiving a meager glance and something that sounded like 'Bite me'. He smirked and looked elsewhere.

In truth, Naruto really felt obliged to provide aid alone. He only allowed the assistance for such a long time because his comrade had kept a good dista-pace! Pace is what he intended. They'd covered a lot of ground anyway and so he thought it appropriate he'd finish. When it did come to addressing the raven's thigh, he did it as quick as possible and even rolled his short's hem back down for him. "You're good to go!"

Sasuke eased up off the bench, looking over all the little band-aids at odd angles on his body. "Thank you! Thank you both for the help."

Gaara nodded, busy internally fussing over the 'virgin' remark among other things.

"No problem." Naruto shrugged, following him over to the table booth where they sat side by side , unaware how he never took his eyes off the teen. He did feel it when someone kicked his knee hard. Biting back a groan at that attack, he eyed the two suspects across from them. "Really?!"

"No idea what you're on about, Naruto. But why don't you go get our new friend something to drink?" Shika succeeded in adding the blond to the list of people he ticked off this morning, ignoring his scowl too. "On to more pressing matters, we're going back inland soon, Sasuke."

Hearing his first name for once made him look up eagerly, attentive. "Mhm?"

"The first phase of the plan so far, once back, is to steal one of our mentor's keys to the compound before they leave in the evening. It's location always changes every week, but the locks don't. Thanks to Naruto, we know where the compound is for the moment. We're hoping he's right that Kakashi is stupid enough to leave his key in the hotel room. That way we won't have to get to close to our teachers at all." Shika glanced at the still mad blond that was returning with some orange juice. "If it does come to that, you should stay back. We can't afford for any of us to get caught by them. The lackeys, however, we'll all be fine against."

Sasuke nodded, accepting the drink with a smile. There were a few things he was curious about and a few he already understood. "What about the stones? Are they not with them?"

"The stones are at the compound." Naruto dropped back down on the seat, arms spread over the back. "We didn't bring them here for security reasons, I guess. Our mission was strictly to look for leads on the heir is all."

"Whatever that reason is, let's hope it's not bad for us."

Gaara looked to the clever one next to him, detecting uneasiness. "You think they know we'll try to do that?"

"I know Kakashi, the old rat and Orochimaru won't figure it out for a while," Shikamaru said with a stretch, hands coming down to fold behind his head. Of all the mentors he was worried about, there was only one that got to him often. "Obito... is a different story. They do need us after all."

Sasuke had to ask. "Have they been looking for you guys this whole time then? Who's the old rat? Was he your mentor as well?"

"Damn, Gaara. You were right. He is full of questions." He chuckled, saying afterwards, "Yeah, they've been looking for us I'm sure. As for the rat, that's just something I call Jiraiya. The third one I mentioned was my mentor." His disdain for the man's name wasn't the only reason he didn't repeat it. "My partner was also Neji whom Naruto has told me you had the displeasure to meet. Count yourself not alone, Kiba doesn't like him either. "

Sasuke preferred not to think that crazy teen. "Do all of you have partners?"

"Not him." Gaara gestured fleetingly to the blond.

Naruto was looking up at the ceiling the whole time, wanting a subject change quick for he could feel the raven's upcoming questions about it. "Who's training him first?"

"We're going through with that?" Shika mumbled on the side, chortling when the redhead elbowed him to quit playing. He saw no point in training the job was to be a three day venture at most. Since that was not the definite case anymore, it was best to try to prepare the unprepared. "Have it your way then. Gaara will train him first. He'll be teaching him awareness to up his senses a bit in the short time we have."

"What about me?"

"You're last for weapon training."

Naruto huffed, crossing his arms in a tantrum. "Why am I last?!"

"I don't know. Maybe because you're the youngest that's skilled in something? Plus it flows so we don't burn him out," he proceeded on, disregarding the blond's whiny comments mumbled under his breath, "I will teach him defense and then Kiba will do offense since they're both kind of lanky."

Sasuke couldn't really dispute that and didn't take it the wrong way. "Alright," he mumbled after a finished mouthful, "We begin in an hour or so?"

"Indeed. But tell me, do you bruise easily, Mr. Uchiha?"

\::/ Training On Deck \::/

The answer to that was a resounding 'no' that the Uchiha would later wish he could've changed to a 'Fuck yes!' Why? Because after some hours had passed, he had to go topside where they'd made a little, grueling looking mini course out of the luxury sailboat itself that went all the way up to the mast. He shielded his eyes from the shining sun to spot a string with two bells up there. This made him think of Mulan when she had to climb up that large ass post with those giant medallion things. At least she had something to use.

"You guys are only planning on breaking into a hotel room, not fighting Shan Yu, right?" Sasuke asked with nervous chuckle. He should've guessed that only Kiba would have an idea of what he was talking about. Everyone else gave him blank looks.

"You're training with Gaara begins now." Shikamaru stepped back, arms crossed and hair loose on his shoulders. Kiba was at his side dropped down into a crouch position as the blond on his left merely leaned against the railing, all in their set wet-suits, hinting that a water part of the course was a possibility and or in case of an accident. "I'll give you an hour."

The raven couldn't even focus on his homework for fifteen minutes. He so gulped as his teacher for now stepped in front. He nearly flinched when he thought the guy was going to hit him. They were really just holding out a thick emerald blindfold. Regretting this lesson being first, he reached out, only for it to instantly be held out of reach.

"First lesson, is it wise to charge blindly into battle?" Gaara then brought the blindfold back into the teen's range. "Yes or no?"

"No?"

"Are you asking me?"

Sasuke took a deep breath, feeling like he was taking one of those trick question exams in which every answer was only right if the professor thought so. "No," he stated somewhat confidently, attempting to take the cloth again.

Denied.

"Then why didn't you take in your surroundings and your opponent? You won't get another chance like this with them so you need to be quick about it. Damn near perfect actually, but this is your first lesson and mistake so I won't punish you too hard." The teacher gave a small smile, bringing the blindfold back. "Now put it on."

' _And that's why I never pass those tests,'_ he mused, taking and tying it around his eyes and above on the curve of his nose. ' _Hello darkness my old friend…'_  Singing in his head was a bad idea. He felt the true fault in the plan when he was punched and or kicked in the stomach. Shit, he didn't know. He couldn't see but he could feel, feel someone stop him from dropping to his knees and remove his arms from over his abdomen.

"Tough it out. You got a few more coming."

"But why _-_ FUCK!" Sasuke couldn't fight back that curse when he received a kidney punch out of nowhere. It wasn't strong enough to cause damage but it hurt like someone was jabbing a small knife slowly against his left flank. He keeled just to drop flat on the deck and grasp the area. Being so close to the floor, he could hear the waves crashing against the sides and something like footstep and or boards creaking. It wasn't something difficult to hear by any means, but he was glad he could. So not wanting to get hit again, he forced himself up and away from wherever the sound was generating from.

"Good job, Sasuke!" Naruto boosted from the sidelines. He knew the goal wasn't for his new buddy to get away at all. He wanted to be supportive though.

"Mngh," was all the raven could muster, holding his stomach, causing alarm.

"Uchiha, are you alright?" Shika dropped his arms to his side, ready to end the session.

Gaara eyed his student in concern, knowing he didn't hit him that hard. "You done?"

"Nnh- No! I-I'm good is what I'm saying!" Sasuke found his voice and straightened back up, minuscule amount of pain fading. "Let's keep going."

"As you wish. You get one more then we try again, okay? This whole punishment is to teach you what'll happen when you charge in blind. Consider this scenario being the one of mercy which will never happen with our mentors. So imagine this pain times infinity and then death."

"Oh damn, okay…"

Gaara hesitated only a second before striking the raven square in the face, knocking him back to the deck. He shook his head and fist, a tad sorry for what he had to do. A ruffling sound made him glance back to see a sore, tan comrade pacing around. He put his hands on hips and said, "If you can't stand this then maybe you should go and rethink the choices you made."

"No, no, I said I'm fine!" The trainee coughed out, wiping the crimson trail from his nose.

"I wasn't talking to you, Sasuke."

As he received a sudden helping hand up, he wondered if the ginger meant Naruto. He turned his head to the last place he remembered his friend standing though he couldn't see. The emerald cloth was soon taken off for him, giving him light to scan around and find a uplifting sight. His blond had definitely been terribly anxious and he could tell by the relieved way the teen stopped marching around, almost as if he wanted to come up and hug him instead. He so gave Naruto a reassuring grin and wave.

"Sasuke."

At his name, he snapped back to attention, bloody and hurt but more driven than ever. "Ready."

"We'll see." Gaara held out the cloth again, free hand behind his back. This time he didn't say anything. He only watched as the raven looked around first and then at him. The teen even circled. Likely checking for anything he could hear move on him, but there was nothing. "Time is of the essence."

Sasuke accepted the circumstances and came back to the front. "I still chose not to blindly run in."

"Good! I believe you now. Try to be quicker though." He therefore allowed the pale one to take the blindfold, chuckling when they moved so timidly to put it on. "Don't worry. I'm not going to hit you anymore."

' _Lies…'_  It was the truth no matter how much Sasuke wanted to scream otherwise. He found out for himself when nothing did happen.

Gaara went on walking around the blind raven and speaking, "Let's say you don't charge in blind but end up in the dark regardless. You had only a brief minute to take in your surroundings as a result. The only senses you have are sound and smell. Since we are on a boat, every input you get will not be the same on land. Land is obviously different, but it is not all the more quiet. So the main focus for now will be to improve your sense of direction of that input. Lack of sight will help you hone your hearing. Tell me what you hear right now."

"Ocean, wind hitting the sails, and tapping sounds?" He turned his head this way and that, trying to pinpoint the location of the last one.

Naruto snickered, continuing to hit his orange sports baton on the railing. The ginger shot him such a 'cut the crap' look that he fumbled and dropped it, coughing awkwardly.

"Kiba, come here please." Once he was there, Gaara moved the pet owner right next to Sasuke and gave him a charcoal blindfold to put on. "You'll come to find that Kiba's senses are perfected even past my own, so he'll be the second and final part of your test to beat. You will both attempt to point in the correct direction of the simulated sound. Beat him five times and you pass. If it's a tie then Shikamaru will be the breaker, copy that?"

"Copy." He thought it would be a piece of cake. He came to find out that this cake was hard and tasted like unfairness topped with hopeless cream.

Kiba's senses and reaction time were almost impossible to keep up with. Every time Sasuke heard a vague noise, he'd either point the wrong way or the other teen would beat him to it.

"Perhaps you hit him to hard, Gaara," Shika voiced sarcastically, impatient after the trainee hadn't gotten a single one right for the last twenty seven minutes.

"Like you succeeded on your first try." Naruto grumbled.

"You're right. It was my fifth." No one's perfect was the whole point of that conversation that the supposed genius actually missed. He was caught up in his feelings. He so withdrew himself for the time being to ponder on why it was taking Sasuke so damn long. He could just ask, but what was the point? Time was almost up. He did at least wait long enough over the limit to have some gratification once the raven got one right. "Time! That's it. Ten minute break then we move on."

Gaara followed orders reluctantly and ceased the training, reclaiming the blindfolds. "Don't worry, Sasuke. We can always train along the way." All he received was a dip of the head from the raven that still kept a high spirit outside.

"Thank you," Sasuke said softly as he wrapped his arms around himself, walking off to the bow of the boat.

The looks Shikamaru was shot after were enough to make any sane man rethink what he'd done. Sane fell under a different definition in this man's vocabulary. "I guess I'm the only one that wants him to live?"

"No, but you don't have to be a dick about it." Naruto rolled his eyes, leaving to go comfort his bud.

"Wow, tense."

"Okay Shikamaru, we need to talk." It was about time anyway. Gaara walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from making any more tasteless comments. "Now, Nara."


	10. Defensive

Naruto would never admit it out loud but Sasuke did look picture perfect leaning on the rails at the bow with the sun high ahead and fluffy clouds scattered everywhere. It drove him to stand back and take it in a moment, wishing he could remember a little more from their past other than just feeling weird all the time. That one breeze then came in and cut through the raven's hair, obscuring a pale face that looked back over a shoulder.

"Naruto."

Sasuke's voice was unintentionally soft and riveting all at once, sending a pleasant nostalgic vibe throughout a tan body. "Yeah, Sasuke?"

"That wasn't that bad, was it?" He asked with a weak laugh afterwards, covering his mouth to muffle it a little. The question itself was rhetorical so he didn't get a response, but he soon felt brawny arms wrap around his waist and pull him back. He didn't panic or shy away. He leaned into it, tilted his head back and welcomed the warming gesture. "It's going to be like this all day, huh?"

"I hope that question was rhetorical too." Naruto chuckled, resting his chin on the raven's right shoulder, refraining from taking a gander to long. He let a few seconds pass before he said, "You better not be beating yourself up over this."

"Nah, I have this idiot that won't leave me alone enough to do that even when he's not around."

"That doesn't sound like an idiot." He tightened his hold, smirking when the teen in front of him tensed and tapped his arm. "Weak! What'd you do that for? Uncomfortable?"

"Not at all. I might have been, you know, punched in the gut some time earlier!"

Naruto faltered from the shout that rung in his ear relentlessly. "Gahh! I'm sorry, geez!"

That should of been the end of it but the Uzumaki fool had to try and make up for it by rubbing the fabric over Sasuke's stomach in small circle like motion. Sasuke's face hit the hot zone as his hand tried to cover it up. Now his body had another reason to lock up. Stifling a vague noise, he mumbled, "What are you doing?!"

"Your stomach hurts. Is this not helping?" He couldn't see Sasuke's face to confirm this so he pulled away the pale hand from hiding it's owner. Then the raven had the nerve to turn his head away more. Ticked now that no matter what he did was working, he spun his friend around to face him. His temper subsided at the sight of such an adorably mad, flushed face. "You stay that color, don't you?"

Sasuke mumbled a curse and crossed his arms, looking away with an annoyed pout. ' _Yet you still haven't figured out why.'_  The blond ruffled dark hair and smiled, startling the pale one for a minute into thinking he'd said it aloud.

"You're to cute when you're mad."

' _Cute again, huh? I'll show you cute.'_ He glared and looked beyond the smug whiskered teen to see his comeback in the distance. He was easily flustered, but so was Naruto. Teasing his friend made him forget his own shyness. Smirking, he leaned up near a whiskered face and said, "You're pretty cute when you're mad too, Naruto."

That closeness was what stunned Naruto a minute before he arched a brow curiously. "I know?"

"Does everyone know like me and Kiba?" The rest played out for itself as planned. Triggered by hearing the nosy teen's name, he looked around and found him peeking over the stairs. "KIBA! What's wrong with you, bro?!"

"Aw come on! I honestly thought you were going to hold him up on the rail like in Titanic to make him feel better, not molest him!" Kiba came into full view, really upset that it didn't turn out his way. "Sasuke even let you do it which is worst!"

Sasuke blanched while Naruto defended like always against the little pervert. "No he didn-I wasn't doing anything like that!"

"Sure, that's what they all say." If he thought he was escaping wrath this time, he was surely mistaken. Shika and Gaara were nowhere in sight on deck. He found that out when he broke out into a sprint away from the blond, not many places to go on a boat. Going back down below deck was out of the question since the door was locked for reasons he'd never know. So he ran back up to the bow and behind Sasuke, human shield activated.

"You have ten seconds to let him go, kibbles. One," he started the countdown, advancing forward each number.

"Protect me!" Kiba thought it was a good idea to grab his timid shield by the waist and pull him back against him, resulting in a yelp from the raven teen.

"Five!"

"You skipped three numbers, man!" He knew that, but the pupper teen hadn't gotten it through his head yet that Naruto had a terrible special temper when it came to Sasuke.

\:: Yo ho Yo ho, where the hell did my cuffs go ::/

"I've never had this much trouble getting an answer out of you, Shika." Gaara sighed from his position against his comrade's dresser drawer near the bed. He'd really tried to figure out why the man was acting ruder lately. All he received for his efforts were misleading responses and or complete off topic ones. "It's either Sasuke or me that's put you on aggro. Pick."

The answer was as simple as the two suggestions and resided within. Shikamaru couldn't out right tell him this because he hadn't worked up the courage to say it or even admit to himself. He'd impounded his feelings for years after they'd first met out of respect. Opening the gates back up last night was a bad idea the longer he thought about it. He had no idea how to properly express himself since all he'd seen most of his life were bad examples. "It's a real waste of time to discuss this right now."

"If we don't talk about it then you're just going to keep lashing out."

"Lashing out? He was seriously taking too damn long." Shika yawned, stretching his arms. "You're being to soft on him."

"That's because he's not like us, but whatever." Gaara shrugged, pulling out one of the smaller top drawers near him and finding a solution within. "I assumed you knew that. Maybe you need to grow up a little more."

Of the five of them on the ship, he felt three or two of them deserved to hear that accusation, not him. "You're joking?"

Gaara shook his head, leaving the drawer open and hopping up on the dresser top. He then crossed his legs and placed his hands firmly down against the wooden surface on either side. "Not at all. I'll even help you."

If looks could kill... Shika found himself drawn in by the other's natural captivating charm. He made sure it didn't show. "How do you plan on achieving this?"

Gaara pressed back to the wall the closer Shika got, mistaking it for a challenge. "By giving you what you need most."

"And what is that?" His hands rested on either side of his teammate, anticipating a move on the gingers behalf before he'd ever do anything. The moment he smirked, a familiar zipping and click noise sounded.

He hung his head to hide his amusement and chortled lowly. "You know I can get out of these right?"

"I know a lot of things about you, Shika. What I don't know is why you won't talk to me all of a sudden, and why you keep handcuffs in your lotion drawer." Another zipping click sounded, confirming the binding of Shikamaru to the metal bed post nearby. "Some time alone will do you good."

Gaara eased up off the drawer, managing out of the small space in between them."I'm locking you in here till I think you're ready to join us."

"Troublesome," Shika grumbled, shaking his bound wrist, making the chains clank against the post. He didn't know if he was pissed that he was this emotionally compromised to get caught and invade personal space, or impressed by the redhead's quick thinking. It was likely a mix of both. "I feel like this is a tad inessential though."

"Like how much lotion bottles you have in there? I need everyone at their best, especially you." The way he smiled so hopefully, gave his chained comrade some motivation to try.

As soon as the door closed and locked, he searched for the cuff key's in the drawer, coming up empty. ' _Of course he took them...'_ He looked on inside anyway for another means of escape involving lotion and other assortments, relieved Gaara didn't notice the rest.

\:: Yo ho Yo ho, come on baby that's low ::/

When Gaara came back out from below, he was hit with an amusing display of Kiba hanging upside down by his ankles from the boom of the mainsail. The poor guy's face was tinted green from swaying back and forth so much. There was only one person capable of lifting the dangling comrade that high. The culprit was currently sitting on a bench, messing with the trainee's hair. "Really, Naruto?"

"What? He was being nosy again!"

Sasuke's salvation had finally arrived. He was tired of the constant questions about how his hair worked, so he moved away slowly, eventually escaping and heading on over to help Kiba down. He could hear the blond curse as a result.

"Dammit! See what you did, Gaara!" Naruto struck his fist against the bench, somewhat really agitated that his investigation was interrupted.

"Something good?" The older one grinned, aiding in getting their comrade down before he hurled everywhere. As soon as they did, the teen threw up some parts of his breakfast off the port-side of the boat anyway. He kept him from falling over, chuckling at how sick he looked. "That's it, let it out."

"Hey, where's Shikamaru?" Sasuke was the first to notice, remembering that guy was next to teach him.

"I locked him in his room. He needs to relax." Gaara pulled Kiba back up when he was done, close to pushing him back over when he thought he was about hurl again.

"You think that'll work?" Naruto received his answer when something wet grabbed his shoulder from behind over the starboard side. He practically screamed to high hell and jerked away, falling off the bench and grabbing the thin patch of wet-suit over his heart. "What the fuck again, Shika?!"

Shikamaru heaved himself over the railing, coming to a cocky sitting position on the bench where he tucked a soaked strand away behind his ear. "Ha, and you wonder why you're last for weapon training," he snickered out breathlessly, intriguing eyes switching to the cute, partially shocked ginger on the other side. "Gaara, love, I'm going to have to teach you how to properly use handcuffs one day."

' _Yeah, sure….What did he call me?!'_ Gaara caught on to late like everyone else but the sickly teen at his side. He told himself he'd misheard his comrade somehow. Glancing over at the still puke-ish but smiling Kiba, didn't reassure him in the least.

"On to the task at hand, Sasuke, get over here" Shika eased up and to the center, tying his damp hair high in a half ponytail, leaving small pools of salt water that'll easily be dried by the sun over time.

"Hey, hey, hey, you can't just jump to something else like that!" Naruto wanted to know what that handcuff joke was and what caused it to be. "Did you and Gaara do something we don't know about?"

"Naruto, the less you know, the better it is for humanity." He really loved riling the blond. It was to easy half the time when the teen wasn't focused.

"How'd you escape?" Gaara could understand him getting out of the handcuffs, but he'd locked the door. "Did you really jump out the window somehow?!"

He smirked his redhead's way. "I'm wet aren't I? Before you ask, yes I enjoyed it."

Sasuke looked back and forth at them during their convo, slowly coming to realize. It came easy to him unlike his blond friend who was at lost about the whole ordeal.

"So you enjoyed swimming and scaring the shit out of me?!"

"Once again, the less you know, Naruto."

Naruto snarled, watching Shika take the raven's hand and lead him to the start of the mini course where four hurdles were placed in a line near the stern of the boat.

"Now, with no further interruptions, hopefully, we'll start here."

Sasuke stopped in front of the first one, observing how broader it was and bolted in likely for him to grab it easier.

"You can't rightly defend yourself and we don't have time to teach you proper guarding so we'll improve your flight response as your key defense. In case you don't know what that means, you're basically learning to run away. Keep in mind of your surroundings though from the first lesson. Something might try to stop you later on." He took a moment to allow his pupil to comprehend before continuing to say, "Running away won't be easy when jumping from buildings for example or simply running through the city. The main place we're going to sounds like it might be parkour central so we're preparing in advance. As for basic running, you'll be going from back here to the bow and then down from the left side dodging those wall panels and back to the stern. We'll do that all at once so you get a feel for it all. Ready?"

' _Huh?'_ Sasuke said that aloud via the look he had on his face because his new teacher had gone through all that rather quickly. He understood the end part. He had to jump over these things and then run up and around. Just thinking about it tired him out already. "Okay."

"So be it. This is the first full run you'll have. Take a few steps back to gather speed."

He did as told, happy for his height since it enabled him to haul himself over the thick hurdles without much effort. The breeze from the rush felt nice at that, but when he got to the runway part, he began to tire. He'd forgotten there were stairs up to the front and so dreaded the journey all the more when he had to run back down and maneuver back and forth between the panels. Upon coming back, he was a tad out of breath, but not like before when they ran in the rain.

Shika gave him a thumbs up. "You're cardio is shit. Other than that, good jumping form."

"Thanks." One praise out of two was better than nothing.

"Do you work out at all, Sasuke, or ever?"

' _Why do you call me by my last name then my first at random times?'_  Exercise makes Sasuke grumpy. He stayed silent with it for his sake. "No. I'm sorry if I mislead you to think otherwise."

"Apology accepted." You can't beat sarcasm with the sarcasm lord. "Since you've no work out experience we'll only do eight runs of each separately. You're main and final test after the full run will involve a chase when I feel you've done this adequately."

"Eight?!" Say that Sasuke ever felt like calling it quits, this was the moment. He could do two runs of each. Hell, maybe even half of three before he passed out. "Can't I just do one full one again and call it a day?"

Shikamaru stood with his hands behind his back, a blank expression on his face. "Move."

There was no other choice. He grudgingly got to it, jumping the hurdles a good five times before his arms and upper core started to ache. The last three runs didn't come so easily then. He slumped the final lap, throwing himself over each one and achieving a bucket of chuckles out of his blond friend.

"Finally, now run. Quick." Shikamaru hadn't found it amusing in the least. They were burning daylight and time with this pace. He almost flipped a fictional table when the raven took off at a terrible speed. He had to remind himself that the teen was new and lived a privileged life, but he did odd jobs? Most were likely arm strength related so that explained his acceptable lifting ability. Sighing inwardly, he somewhat tolerated that for a logical reason that the raven couldn't run a damn lick.

Basically, that meant they were surely going to be there a while and over the time limit again.

\:: Drink With Me ::/

When you need expendable men in a bad way, a run down shady town with a equally questionable bar for all sinners, was a good place to start. Kakashi propped his elbows back on the counter top, lazily leaning against it as his shot glass slid his way. He didn't drink it just yet. Silver eyes were focused on the small TV overhead the pool table area. The news was on and barking about the incident at the High School. Likely due to one of the student's parents. He groaned as a picture of the rich kid flashed up on screen one last time and then disappear to show something else. Taking a swig of his drink, he imagined strangling the raven brat or setting him ablaze with the liquor in his hand. Either way that teen was dying slow in each scenario.

Obito finally came back from the little meeting area, looking bored, and sharp. The cane looked like nothing but a fashion statement. "Did I hear the news correctly? That's a lot of money."

"His family pays well. Hard to believe you're related to them." He scooted over, allowing them some arm room.

"Not by blood, brother."

"Really? You never told me that." Kakashi looked his way thoughtfully, chortling when the man took his shot glass from him and chugged the rest of it. "Help yourself."

"I am? As for your assumption, I never told you because you never asked or made a point of it." He sat the glass back down forcefully, somehow not shattering it. He then slid it back down for the bartender to refill. "My mother married into the family with me. The rest of my stepfather's relatives found out I was a bastard child and so gave my mother an ultimatum."

"Huh, well how was the pampered life?"

"Tedious. I grew into the man I am from living off the concrete jungle. I didn't think she hated every second of it that much much though." Obito then spun around in his seat to look at the TV. "She lived to regret it at least."

"She didn't have any other kids?"

"None that I'm aware of. Anyway, I hired some guys to help us out . They're brainless grunts so they'll work without question and be easy to  _compensate_ when we're done. I also have a  _supplies_  exchange for cash that we'll pick up tomorrow. "

"Cheers to that," Kakashi said, having no drink to clink with.

The bartender, being observant of this, came over with two filled shot glasses for the gentlemen, leaving them to it.

"Indeed. What did you do?" Obito took up his poison, hoping his partner didn't sit there and mope the whole time like the emotional fool he considered him to be.

Kakashi gathered his own glass and downed it in one go. "Mm, I signed up ten myself. They're idiots to make a buck, but quick."

"Then we're back on track."

"What about our boys?" he asked, assuming Obito wasn't serious about waiting them out. "You know we need them?"

"Of course, but why should we chase our own dogs? We only did that one time so you could learn a lesson." Obi pointed with a pinkie out at the man, cup in hand. "You know damn well they're coming after us. We put a collar on their childhood and a leash on their innocence. We raised them in our way, so vengeance we will be their first instinct off the bat."

"Why don't we send some men to retrieve only him then?"

"Him? You mean the Uchiha kid? You really can't wait to get your hands on him?"

Kakashi shrugged, tapping the bar top to get the young bartender's attention. "Something like that."

"Tough shit. You'll have to wait. Look, they're family is already searching for him and he's not with us. They don't know what we look like, only you since you worked at the school as a cover. Keep that in mind. With the money they're paying, they'll be looking under every fucking rock for that kid and you. There are three good things about that; one is they won't recognize the rest of us, two is that means you can stay out of the limelight now, and three, " he paused at the last and nudged him against the elbow, smiling, "means?"

"Less places for them to hide with Sasuke."

"Bingo!" Thumbs up.

Kakashi rolled his eyes, ever so impatient. "You're going to leave this all up to chance?!"

"What choice do we have? We're not a big organization, nor are we really funded. We've been getting by with my silver tongue and hack jobs for years. Plus, the stones are fading, Kakashi. The search for any last leads on the heir was today before heading off, so get over it." Obito finished his drink, sliding off his seat, black chrome t-handle cane at the ready. "It's now or never. When we succeed, you may go pluck the little raven yourself."

"Should we not?" Failure wasn't even an option and he could see that as clear as day in his comrade's rigid charcoal eyes.

"We leave back to the compound tomorrow come evening. You're either with us or you're dead."

Tough love was what Kakashi would like to have called that. Deep down he knew it was everything but. He so exhaled deeply, weary of the business talk and nodded. "I like living so I'll be there."

"Let's hope so."

\:: This Uchiha be tired ::/

Sasuke was finishing his sixth lap, already out of breath. He had been given a few minutes to adjust and allowed to combine the running exercise with the panel dodging. When it came to that break-point, Naruto was at his side, encouraging him in his own goofy way and giving him water.

"You got this, champ! Look at me, you are king!"

The raven panted, smiling and shaking his head. Bad move. He was forced to look up into dead serious azure by the sudden pull on the back of his pointy locks. "Nhn, pain…!"

"You got this', repeat it!"

"You got this." He laughed when Naruto did, showing off their maturity level.

"Don't get smart with me, bastard."

Sasuke's labored breathing and weak smile went nowhere. "Do you want me to repeat that too, boss?"

"Only if it means you'll give these last two runs all you've got." He released raven locks and took hold of the gem around the teen's neck. "When you finish, you'll get this back," he said as he swiftly removed it, dodging the owner's attempts to stop him.

"That's really not funny, Naruto! Give it back!"

Naruto grinned at how quick that switched on the feisty response he wanted. He stepped back slowly, hinting at his next plan of attack. "Why? It's mine isn't it? If you want it, you'll have to really earn it this time or the sea will claim it."

Sasuke leveled out at the last part, epinephrine one hell of a hormone. As soon as his friend took off, he was right there after him. Impressed were the other three watching, all thinking maybe that necklace was the key to get him to perform at high standards. The blond sure thought so because this was the fastest he'd ever seen him run. It scared him a bit actually when the furious raven nearly caught him at the end of the seventh lap.

During the eighth, he had to kick it into high gear just to get some distance between them. He arrived back first near the stern in front of Shika, a smug look on his whiskered face. "Told you he'd make do with us."

"He's gonna do something else too." The teacher sidestepped as the blond was tackled to the deck, a loud thud resonating. ' _Damn.'_ He applauded the raven in his mind for the extra exerted energy put into that take down.

"Ouch." Kiba winced for his fallen brother, arms up in a bunch. "You guys okay?"

"They look fine to me...I think." The oldest one tilted his head to the side at the odd struggle for the necklace back.

Sasuke eventually won, placing it back around his neck with a triumphant sigh before going completely boneless against a tan shoulder, shallow breaths escaping.

"I think that's it for this session. Well done, Uchiha." Shika opted to help them up but the blond shoved his hand away.

"I got us!" Naruto assured, arms coming around the spent teen's waist to keep hold of him while sitting up.

"So be it. How about we go ahead and have dinner then?" He turned toward the lovely chef on board and held out a hand his way. "What say you? Or should we chain you to the stove?"

Gaara shook his head curtly, a small smile and laugh added in. He headed off with a wave of his hand and saying, "That won't be necessary though I know you'd enjoy the payback all too much, Shika."

...Without a doubt.


	11. Take A Break

With the day dimming, and training not so much over, the five gents headed down below deck with growing hunger. They so discussed among themselves about what to dine upon until the blond of the group decided the weary trainee needed a brief R&R break. He broke off from the group against the raven's wishes and headed off to their room.

"You need to recoup a bit before dinner. Sitting at that table with smart ass, perv, and undecided in the meanwhile, won't help. Don't bother complaining." He laid down the tired soul onto the mattress and knelt at the bedside to watch him. "Comfy?"

Sasuke nodded on his back with a weary smile, head turned his friends way, chest rising and falling with each heavy breath he took. He never thought he'd feel this beat in his life but it was worth it. The other men on board seemed to really be warming up to him as much as Naruto was. He definitely looked forward to dinner more than ever despite his spent state. "Food?"

"They're discussing what to eat." That itself would take a while due to the fact that they all had different preferences when it came to dinner. He then began to wonder what the raven liked since he didn't look the part to gorge himself on anything no matter how many pizza boxes he saw in his room. "What would you like, Sasuke?" he asked as he crossed his arms up on the edge of the bed where there was room, resting his chin down on his forearm.

"What you mean, like food?" His eyes were half lidded, hinting at his slow departure to sleepy town junction.

"Yup."

"Oh, I..I like veggies."

Naruto stifled a snicker at how typical, tired, and childlike that sounded. "So you're a vegetarian?"

"Mmm, no, no. I like pizza...all meat." He brought up a hand to flick the surprised blond on the sniffer. "You made me like that though."

The assaulted wrinkled his nose and smiled. He then etched closer, curious all the more. "So what's your favorite thing to eat? Or do we share that too?"

"Rice!" Sasuke couldn't shout it out fast enough, exhaustion kicking his ass. "I love rice, so much. The little..ball ones..triangle ones..cheese!"

It was so cute watching the raven get all worked up over some grain. What else made him this happy, he had to know. "You like rice that much?"

"Mhm, mhm!"

"Do you have a favorite activity that gets you like this too?" Naruto was sure he meant that in a positive way but his insides felt weirdly different. "Like a hobby or routine or something?"

"You." His eyes were closed now, having given up, stopping him from seeing his friends heated whiskered face at that vague statement.

"Hah, we were that close, huh?"

Sasuke nodded slowly, mumbling, "Best friends."

"We didn't talk to anyone else when we were kids?"

"Besides my brother?" he yawned out, turning on his stomach to ease his arms up under the pillow, "Nah. We were all home schooled together because our parents moved around too much."

Naruto nodded, seeing the overall picture. He and Itachi were all Sasuke had for ten years. Almost like how his comrades and mentors were all he had for eight years. He started to understand a little more how the raven was feeling. He hated the few years he was apart from his brothers in arms, but Sasuke had been without one for much longer and driven to believe he would never come back. The raven still had a real family though and a solid life chance so why stay focused on him for that long? There must have been someone else to bond with. "What made your parents put you in actual school then? You didn't make any new friends there?"

Now he was starting to sound like Itachi. Sasuke groaned, irritated in an instant and turning his head away. "They put me and my brother there after your parents left so we got stuck in that town. They never liked traveling without you guys."

"I see, but you didn't answer my last question."

"Why should I?"

If Naruto didn't pick up on the anger in his voice then, he got it from the way the Uchiha teen switched full body on his right away from him. Sasuke didn't see why this topic was even brought up. He already had a friend. An alive friend at that. There was no reason for him to need anyone else unless… "Are you sick of me already?"

"After all the bitching I've done to convince them that you're worth it? Hardly." Naruto chortled softly, easing closer and placing a hand on the raven's back. "I'm just concerned, you know. I made new friends."

"Yeah, but you don't remember me."

"So, you're saying that if I did remember you, then I wouldn't have bonded with those guys?"

Sasuke wrapped his arms about himself and wiggled away from the blond's touch. "I don't know. We were always sort of different."

"Well that's obvious." He smiled, letting it fade when the raven tightened up his hold around himself. "That's not a bad thing, Sasuke."

' _To you it isn't.'_  His weary state didn't help his steadily declining mindset. There were parts of their childhood he thought he'd never have to worry about and so suppressed it. This was one of them. They were not of the same world. Take socializing or just bolder things in general for instance. In fact, if their parents hadn't moved so much then surely Naruto would have made new friends and kept him close...or not. That always scared him. He didn't know how they would of turned out in the future, but he never thought it would be like this. He'd hoped it be happier and normal.

"We were best friends, so we clearly worked out our differences pretty good then, huh?" Naruto tried to bring some positive light to it all. He got up off the floor this time and sat on the edge of the bed, having trouble hearing the raven's meekly replies.

"-we were kids, remember? You're much older now," Sasuke mumbled, scooting away. "You still like talking to other people. "

"And you don't?"

He shrugged, thinking about the rest of the men on board. "Gaara and the others are okay.."

"There you have it! You'll grow to love them!" Naruto sighed in relief, leaning back on the bedpost. "We can all be buddies!"

"I guess…" Sasuke held on to the gem, knowing the vague truth. He told himself he was only doing this for Naruto so he could re-establish his bond with him, be in his world, ect. All of this effort was for him, so in the end, was he really improving or getting worst? He quickly shook his head, pushing those incriminating thoughts out. He really did like the rest of the guys on board... almost like it was natural too.

The door to their room soon creaked open, calling their much needed attention.

Shikamaru popped out from around it, a typical 'whatever' look on his face. "There has been a complication with dinner. It's come to a debate between vegetable soup and ramen. What's you guy's take?"

"Soup!" Sasuke shot up so fast with new found energy that it scared his bunk mate right off the bed.

"That's two for soup and two for ramen. Naruto, you're the tiebreaker?" He chortled out of how terrified the raven looked suddenly, not seeing the big deal.

Naruto grumbled from the fall, rubbing his lower back. "What did you say, man?"

"He said there's nothing but soup! That's all we have!" The desperate teen looked to Shika for support in convincing the blond of his lie, but all he got was a blank stare and then betrayal.

"I said ramen or soup."

"Oh! That's why Sasuke's screaming like that." He looked up to the uneasy raven on the bed and grinned. "Well then, I'll have ramen today."

"So be it."

"NO!" Sasuke moved to actually try and stop Shikamaru from relaying that message. He was tripped by the blond for his efforts. His struggle to escape became futile the second his friend pinned him down on his stomach, both wrist held behind his back. He squirmed around for freedom, ignoring the laughter going on behind him.

"Someone has energy all of a sudden!"

"Let me go, Naruto! You've no idea what you've done!" His disdain for those noodles couldn't have been more clear. The mere smell use to nauseate him back in the day when they slept over the blond's house. It had dominated the kid's room, clothes and overall diet whenever their parents didn't intervene.

"Oh come on, Sasuke. It can't be that bad." He shook his head at how the raven proceeded to fight against him anyway. Seeing this was going nowhere, he rolled Sasuke around on his back and held his gaze. "Seriously, dude, chill! What is it about ramen that's so bad you're willing to try and stop Shikamaru?"

There was no way he'd give the blond a hint in case that triggered something. So he shut his mouth tight and shook his head from left to right frantically.

"Hmph, guess we'll have to wait and see come dinner then, won't we?"

\:: Just the five of Us ::/

"Dude, how long is Sasuke going to sit like that?!" Kiba asked in astonishment from across the booth, timer out going on five minutes already.

Yes, Sasuke still refused to speak. He sat there with them though, hands in fist above his knees and back straight. His face was struck with determination to not utter a single word no matter how hard Naruto was pestering him about it.

"You might as well spit it out! Gaara's already halfway done," Naruto noted, arms spread out on the back of the booth again. He glared the raven down, achieving no reaction out of him whatsoever. Which was becoming his top least favorite reaction from him so far.

"It must be something really bad if he's not speaking." Shikamaru yawned from his spot beside the time taker. He was currently tapping away on his laptop with one hand and having a cup of green tea with the other. That didn't stop him from picking up on the odd behavior coming from the trainee on board. "Or perhaps he's finally realized his potential to die is ten times greater than ours."

"Nara." Gaara hit him with that last name for the second time today without turning from his awe inspiring dice work at the kitchen station. He hardly looked frightening since he had on this red apron with panda's all over it and the words, ' _No panda-moneium in this kitchen'_  in the center.

"Mm," he mumbled over his tea, removing the porcelain from his lips to look artfully over at the cute ginger. "Yes, Chef?"

"Stop being rude."

"Whatever you say, dear."

That time, he caught that. The cook then turned sideways, multitasking his ass off. With an interested look to his comrade, he questioned, "Dear?"

Shikamaru looked the gorgeous redhead up and down and smirked before turning back to his computer and tea without a word.

"Say something!" Naruto shook the raven this time in earnest. "It doesn't have to be about the damn ramen!"

"Oh my god it's been nearly ten minutes, man, and he still hasn't moved or uttered a word!" The pupper teen was mind blown by Sasuke's dead-like state at this point. "Is ramen like, his kryptonite or something?"

"I don't know but it's going to drive me crazy!"

Sasuke knew the blond hadn't really given up on asking him about it. So his mouth stayed quiet. He actually focused on Shika and Gaara's conversation instead, wondering if 'Nara' was a nickname or a last name, and if the redhead really loved pandas or just bears in general.

"You keep messing with me, Shika." Gaara honed back in on the real task at hand, smiling anyway.

"As long as you don't mind it being me, who cares?" He clearly meant that no matter how nonchalant it was said.

"Ha, I suppose. What are you tapping so much for over there anyway?"

"To be honest," Shikamaru halted to set his cup down and stretch, coming back to that resting position with his hands behind his head again, "I wasn't really typing much. Just searching more on that legend to see if there was anything I had missed. So far, nothing, like always. I might read the brief story behind it again later."

"There's a full story?" Sasuke broke his silence, noisiness controlling him.

"He speaks!" The blond cheered, latching onto the raven and fake crying dramatically, rubbing his face.

Kiba was just as thrilled. He hit that button as soon as the 'Th' sound escaped those thin lips. "Time! Twelve minutes and thirty two seconds! Sasuke, I swear, faking dead might be your best defense!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and tried to pry the overreacting blond off. "Shika, can I read it after you?"

"You can read it once we get the key. Think of it as a bonus and incentive."

"Seriously?!"

With a nod, and lift of his cup, Shikamaru said, "Take it or leave it."

"Agh, fine!….Naruto, get off me!" Sasuke switched to the fool still encircling his arms rather tightly. Don't mistake those words. He liked the contact a lot but that was the issue in this case.

"No, I'm never letting go!" He petted the raven's face adoringly. "You better not either!"

Kiba seized that opportunity and pulled out his cell, video format activated. "Okay, now Sasuke, you say, 'I promise. I will never let go, Naruto. I'll never let go.' Got it? Shoot."

' _Is he...referencing Titanic aga-Oh god!'_ Sasuke leaned away from the camera only to sink against the blond more. Somewhere in his distress, he realized he would need assistance in order to escape these two or at least deal with them. "Shikaaaa, help me!"

"Mm, ask Gaara."

He shed a pout, shifting his body towards the cook's direction where he cried out helplessly, "Gaara!"

' _I swear….'_ Gaara sighed, shaking his head and stabbing the cutting board with his knife. "Naruto, Kiba, leave him alone or else."

"But he was the one that-"

"Oh sure, and do you want me to finish it, Naruto?" With a hand on his hip, he turned around full body, his right index tapped on the nearby counter top. The longer he waited for a response, the slower the taps occurred till eventually, it ceased.

Naruto grumbled out his little tantrum, but he definitely let a relieved Sasuke go after that. He'd rather deal with Shikamaru's wrath than discipline from the oldest any day.

Grave emerald eyes drifted over Kiba's way, forcing the teen to put up his phone.

"Good! Dinners ready in five," Gaara said, scary cheerful before returning to the food.

"That's my cue! Be right back. Don't touch my shit." Shika pointed accusingly at Kiba mid-preparation to move into the new vacant spot already, sending him back. On his way out, he stopped by the cooking station to the right of the chef, saying, "Adored how you handled that by the way."

"Shut up and hurry back."

Shikamaru lingered. "Miss me already?"

Gaara chuckled, shoving him away by a hand to the face. "No, but if you want any of this food when I'm done then you'd best wash up quick."

"You lost me after, 'want any of this.'" He mumbled against the other's palm.

"You are such a-Just go, Shika!"

"Alright, alright."

' _What the hell has gotten into him?'_ Gaara pondered over his friends excessively odd behavior. More importantly, he couldn't help but realize that he sort of liked it. Well, he was smiling a lot for some reason. Maybe it was out of amusement instead of more complicated things since Shika was like that when they first met, only toned down. Either way, he'd hoped the others hadn't noticed. When he looked back over his shoulder though, he saw the raven just smiling at him, enjoying the situation switch. Thankfully Kiba and Naruto were at least busy chatting about whatever. After a fleetingly nervous simper back, he looked away and busied himself with retrieving the colorful bowls.

"Kiba, there's no way that he won't know! Just don't do it!" Naruto emphasized with his hands. He'd gone over this several times recently to prove to the pupper teen this was a bad idea.

"What if I delete the browser history?" He really wanted to google something on sea life. The ocean was a perfect chance to get a new pet. Sadly, his phone was just too slow for his taste at the moment likely because they'd gone so far out.

The blond shook his head. "It's like you're not even listening to me!"

"What if I delete the cookies too?" He scooted over closer to his desire, chestnut eyes peeking at the panda background screen.

"Christ, you're really not listening! Sasuke, do you believe this?!"

"Hm? Uhuh."

That didn't sound like it was truly thought out at all. Naruto followed the raven's gaze over to the chef. "Yeah, what? The food or Gaara?"

Sasuke picked up on that jelly tone in a flash, loving it. He smirked and shrugged. "I don't know."

"You're a terrible liar."

"You're terribly jealous."

"So? We've already established that." Naruto crossed his arms and thrust himself back against the seat. "You have a problem with it?"

"Haha, you should see the look on your face." He grinned, leaning over against a tan shoulder, feeling drowsy again. "So serious for no reason."

"Nah, for the right reason-Wait, are you going to nap now?" A mini hint of pink flushed on whiskered cheeks as the raven nuzzled that shoulder. "Sasuke?"

"Guys, I cave!" Kiba slid on over in Shika's space, ignoring them for once. He didn't come close to putting a finger on the touch-pad before he was struck by a ladle on his head. "Ah-oww!" he whimpered, massaging the assaulted area.

"Don't touch Shikamaru's computer. We shouldn't have to tell you twice! Stop being lazy and go find yours. Also, make sure the animals are fed once again while you're at it, especially the lizards!" Gaara ordered, adding a snap of his fingers to the doorway, no further debate allowed to be had.

In defeat, Kiba left the table, rubbing the sore spot. He nearly had a heart attack when he was yanked away from the exit by the ginger.

"Calm down and let me look. I didn't hit you that hard." Perhaps he could have been a bit more gentle in his examination. He was just flustered at how defensive he'd become over the laptop, so he didn't notice he was yanking on the poor teens hair. ' _This is why I don't own electronics'_ , is what he told himself.

It was a lesson learned sight for the huddled up duo in the booth.

"I told him not to do it." Naruto sighed, pitying his comrade. He looked to the now open mouthed, sleeping raven next to him and chuckled quietly. ' _Of course.'_

\:: He wasn't ready ::/

"So you and that Uchiha brat aren't really related by blood? I'm surprised your mom didn't have another kid. I mean, not like it would've mattered anyway." Jiraiya kicked up his feet on the table, beer in hand and Sakura passed out over his lap. "At least you don't have to feel gross I guess in case you ever wanted to...you know."

Orochimaru was just picking up his plate of fettuccine meanwhile as the table shook a bit from the sudden weight shift, causing him to spill some on his lap. "Son of a- Ever heard of table manners, Jiraiya?"

"The hell I look like? I'll tell you what, Hinata is showing those guys they gathered up proper hospitality right now, how about that?"

"Could you two not mouth fuck each other for one minute. Just one minute. " Obito groaned from his headache, a small glass of whiskey on ice in a ring decorated hand, pinkie out. He was starting to regret hosting dinner in his room. "To answer your disgusting statement, I'd rather gargle a bucket of nails! You all know I prefer brunettes, meaning brown not dark in this sense, and redheads. I don't fuck anything else."

"This is why I didn't like Menma hanging around them," Kakashi commented from his laid back reading position on the couch.

"Gee whiz, Kakashi! Why don't we ask Menma what he thinks? OH wait! He's not here! Good golly, I wonder why that is! Maybe it's because you didn't have a dick to keep that ass in line like the rest of us." Jiraiya's comment got him some laughs and a 'dirty' book thrown his way in which he dodged at the last minute. "Hey, relax you big bab-"

"I don't have time for this. I'm going to bed. Just remember, no one touches Sasuke but me unless I say so." Kakashi left in a huff, slamming the door on his way out.

Obi couldn't help the triple stifles of laughter that came out after the door shut, and Jiraiya mimicking the other's last words silently with a dumb face didn't help. "You're wrong as shit for that, Jiraiya."

"Like I'm not telling the truth." He boasted, arms out.

Orochimaru wiped a trickle of red wine off his lips eloquently with his thumb. "Since we've all lost apprentices, doesn't that mean we're dick-less too?"

"No way. We have lost some but at least we've all gotten some at one point. All that he's achieved can be summed up in two words, blue balls."

Their very pale brethren was the testament to how intoxicated they all were. He laughed so hard that he leaned back too far and went falling onto his backside right near his barely dressed, unconscious apprentice, Neji.

"Dammit, Jiraiya. My head hurts enough as it is right now."

"Yet, you laughing."

Obito nodded, smirking, temple rubbing against the chilly glass of his drink. "True, but my head, man. These bright ass lights are killing me so just be quiet for a few seconds."

"...There, that was a few seconds." He had literally counted to five and went back at it. "Now tough it the fuck out or turn the lights down. Did you tell that emotional twat by the way?"

"Who? What?"

"He's talking about Kakashi. You know? The whole heir situation." Orochimaru grumbled out in strain from trying to sit back up, but his limbs were to sluggish so he just laid there in a mess, drink spilled everywhere.

"Of course not. You all saw that bitch fit he had just now. There's no way I'm telling him till we're there ."

"I'll drink to that."

Obito looked slowly over to a chugging Jiraiya, grinning and asked, "What was his name again?"

"Huh?"

"Ohhh, he's talking about that redhead boy you had, Jiraiya! The one with them pretty purpl-"

"AYE! Why you guy's gotta...you know what, I'm going to pull a Kakashi. I'm done with you bastards for the night." Jiraiya laughed, alcohol a smear out of the corner of his lips. He burped upon standing, tossing Sakura over his shoulder and staggering towards the door.

"Maybe you shouldn't tease him so much anymore." Obito's voice came out low and all the more stern.

"Maybe..." He shrugged, not liking comparing himself to Kakashi. He proceeded on walking just to stop at the door and say, "Oh, and his name was Nagato, and he was one hell of a redhead!"

"Preach!" Orochimaru held up his empty wine glass in memory of their first take. "Skilled in every way! May he rest in peace."

Obito had to hold up his cup to that. "He was quite a terrible loss of life indeed."

"Eh, you win some you lose some! Like Ishida! I'll admit when he showed, I've 'accidentally' walked in on him once or twice."

"Guilty as well!" The man on the floor chuckled, hiccuping shortly afterwards.

"I can understand you guys perv-ing on your property, but mine? You guys are sick." The older man took a swig of his drink finally, propping his elbows up on the table. He'd never admit that that annoyed him, nor did he let it show. They all had their favorites, some more kept under wraps than others and twice as much twisted.

"Ah, but we're family! And believe it or not, I don't know a more sick pair of guys to take over the world with."

"Holy shit, you are drunk. Get the hell out of here, both of you!" Obito chortled and teetered from his seat with his cane over to the two on the floor.

"You're damn right we are! I hope you didn't think I was serious. I'd shoot you bastards in the back for a grand alone...or fifty bucks give or take." Jiraiya pondered on his way out the door, rambling loud enough in the hall for them to hear him still. "Hell, I might kill you all tonight and take the stones for myself!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! See you in the morning!" The elder man shook his head, prodding Orochimaru on the floor by the cane's end. "That means you too. Pasty ass, out, come on!"

"Nhmm," came the tipsy reply. He slowly rolled over and cuddled up against Neji instead.

They weren't going anywhere.

"Piece of…" Obito groaned, giving up and going to close the door instead. Mid action, he saw Kakashi out there in the hall talking to some blond housekeeper. He didn't say anything and so watched, hoping his friend would take the teen in. That day would never come though, and so the boy was dismissed. "You're kidding?" he asked when the lad was out of earshot. "He looked more than willing!"

To be honest, Kakashi didn't really hear him. He was in deep in thought about Menma ever looking at him the way that maid had. It was only when he glanced up did he notice. "Oh, goodnight, Obi."

"Um, night?" Yup, no way he was telling him until due time.


	12. Offensive

_\::_ He need some milk!  _::/_

"Should I, or should I not?" Naruto was having the time of his life. Every time he brought those chopstick clenched, aromatic noodles near his lips, the raven's eyes would widen in anxiety. He couldn't tell you how many times he'd done this so far, but he knew he was having too much of a blast to stop. So basically, he hadn't really eaten any yet.

Neither had Sasuke.

The trainee was to focused on the blond himself, hoping there wasn't going to be a relapse into old ways. At least the ramen smell all around him didn't sicken him like it use to. Oh no, suspense took care of that.

Kiba, meanwhile, slurped down the broth, finishing his second bowl. "Another one!" he shouted with a wave of the red dish in the air triumphantly, having learned his lesson long ago not to slam it to the ground like in that one movie.

"No, Kiba. Naruto and Sasuke have yet to even taste theirs," Gaara stated with his legs crossed and an elegant flick of his wrist their way. The way he went about eating his food was treated in the same manner, a habit learned. "When they're done playing, I'll refill it for you."

"Tch, in that case he might as well regurgitate," Shika griped, swirling the sticks around his half empty bowl. As much as he enjoyed the meal itself, the duo fooling around across from him were bothering him something fierce. One reason being because he didn't get to casually watch his redhead walk away again. The second was that they were wasting valuable time with this act. "Can't we just force feed them, Gaara?"

"Now that's not necessary, Shika. Hold on." He swiftly turned in his seat towards the unsuspecting blond and bunked him on the knuckles with the back end of the chopsticks.

Naruto tensed from the sharp pain and dropped his own sticks to rub the now sore spot. "What the hell was that for, Gaara?"

"Eat your food, especially you, Sasuke. Training is not over by a long shot."

"That's a definite. Might be best if we blend Kiba's and Naruto's course together though so we can all get some rest tonight," Shika thought a loud, bringing his hands together under his chin, contemplating if that would work out.

"I don't mind whatever you guys choose." Sasuke gave them the go ahead, digging into his dinner thereafter. To be fair, it was actually pretty good to him. So good in fact that it sent a flash of childhood memories flooding in. He got such a wave of euphoria that he didn't freak out in the least when Naruto calmly took the noodles into his mouth and just sat there with a blank expression on his face. "You okay, boss?"

Naruto merely shrugged, mouth full. He felt something weird. It tasted delicious beyond a doubt. At the same time, he was hit with an overpowering feeling of sadness all of a sudden. As if he was deeply missing something. He so chewed and then swallowed, remaining motionless in thought afterwards till someone called his name. The voice didn't belong to any of his comrades since there were no females on board. At lost, he looked to his left to where Gaara was supposed to be sitting. I say supposedly because instead of him, there was another ginger in his place. This one was a beautiful woman with really long hair all the way down to her seat. He stared at her, startled, and yet all more happy.

The woman smiled tenderly at him and asked, "Do you like it?"

"Yeah... Who are you though?"

"What do you mean?" She broke into this look of confusion and hurt in her violet eyes.

Naruto didn't mean to cause such a face. He really had no idea of who she was or why he was seeing her. It soon occurred to him that he might be dreaming again or possibly daydreaming since he was awake just a few seconds ago. He began to panic a little at the thought, covering his eyes and shaking his head. Reality faded in and out, giving him a minor pulsing headache, weird voices echoing that sounded from a very long time ago.

"Naruto, what's wrong?" Upon that new voice, the pain and noise stopped. That tone didn't belong to anyone on board as well, but he could tell it was coming across from him. Slowly, he looked up over his fingers to see a very concerned man with somewhat of a likeness of his own just more mature and serious to a fault. ' _Dad?'_  That subconscious outburst triggered a warming grin from the adult across from him as if they heard him. He gulped and looked to the loving woman who pulled a hand away from his face and held it with both of hers.

' _Mom and dad?'_ Naruto teared up automatically, wiping at his blurry vision. His grip tightened in her grasp like that would prolong this joyous sight. Alas, when he came to a partial clear view, his comrades were back in their rightful places.

"Naruto," Shikamaru called out to him one more time, willing to be more physical to get a response if necessary.

"Hm, hm?" he sniffled, wiping his face still.

"I asked you if you were alright."

"Ah, yeah. I'm okay."

"You're kidding? You just forgot who I was and then you started crying!" Gaara turned him by the chin via a thumb his way. "What happened? Did you not really like the food after all?"

"Nah, I do. I'm sorry." Naruto chuckled, taking his hand back. He realized then what he had did during his little episode. "I do know who you are, okay? I-I zoned out for a minute is all."

"Zoned out?" Sasuke watched him attentively, more concerned than anyone else.

"Well, believe it or not, I think I just saw my parents."

Kiba decided now was a good time to speak up at that interesting piece of information. "Had a little flashback over there, blondy? Mines happened at a dog park. My parents had crazy hair like mine. What did your's look like?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head in concentration, smiling uneasily at how excited the raven beside him became. "I'm not really sure what it was. I know I saw this man that looks like me and a women with crazy long red hair and-"

"That was Minato and Kushina! The ramen helped you remember them! Here, eat more!" Sasuke didn't hesitate. He went to stuffing his friends face against their opinion on the matter, nearly choking the poor teen to death and poking him because he missed a few times.

"Sasuke!" Gaara went to the rescue, shocked at how much strength he had to put into restraining him, not to mention the mess he made reaching across the table. "Dammit, sorry everyone! Naruto, are you okay?"

Naruto's gag reflex kicked in now that it could. He put an index up, shifted to the side and upchuck out the force noodles all over the ginger's feet and some bits on the floor. It wasn't really puke-ish, thankfully. "Ngh, my bad, Gaara!" he apologized with a forearm swab at his mouth.

Gaara took a deep breath and eased back, disgusted and polite about the situation. He semi-calmly said, "That's okay. I'll make you another one after I clean up."

"We'll aren't you sweet and clever? I guess force feeding them wasn't necessary after all." Shikamaru chuckled, loving the side glare and the slight mumbled curse of his last name that he heard from the redhead on their way out.

When the door shut, Sasuke realized he was holding his breath. He honestly thought that the oldest was going to tear into him. "Why is he so nice?!"

"Because I'm not most of the time." That statement was true to an extent.

"Hm, then why does he call you, Nara?"

"You're asking a lot of questions all of a sudden." Shikamaru yawned, standing up to clean the table. He hated nosy people, or maybe it was something else. "I hope you're not getting attached to the rest of us."

"That wouldn't be a bad thing." Naruto jumped to defend, nudging the downcast raven against the shoulder and saying, "I bet Nara is just his last name."

"No one asked you, Naruto."

"It doesn't really matter, Shika. It's not a major secret or anything. My last name is Inuzuka." Kiba beamed up across the table.

"That's nice!" Sasuke smiled back, hiding it a second later when Nara took up everyone's bowls rather peeved like.

"Good for you, Kiba, but if I want to keep someone in the dark about my own name, I'd like to do just that."

"Ooo, such a big deal" Naruto regretted that comment the moment a wet towel struck his face and nearly wrapped around his head.

"It's not 'such a big deal' to clean the fucking table!"

Sasuke snickered at the blond who pulled the towel off slowly, revealing his damp, aggro-ed face and messy sun hair. "That's a good look for you, boss."

"Shut it." Naruto grinned, wiping some of the droplets off and flicking them onto the laughing teen next to him. He then quickly got up to carry out the task before Shika could hit him with something else.

"You going to sit there all day or help us?"

"The latter, Shika. " Sasuke only held a certain pair of blue eyes when he exited the booth. They followed him all the way over to a cabinet. "Where are the buckets?"

"Bottom cab in the back, Mr. Uchiha."

"Thank you, Mr. Nara."

Naruto low key laughed at them to himself, delighted to see that Sasuke was striking back. The prouder he got, the more he stared, blindly gathering up the spillage on the table. He began to think more about the raven and their past. Things like if their parents were as close as they were and such. Whatever he was thinking, one thing was for certain. He wanted to see his them again.

"Hey, Sasuke! Quick question, you said you have pictures...on.. online?.." It was the way Sasuke was positioned that made the blond's blood boil over and his voice disappear. He saw no reason for the raven to be on all fours with legs apart and back arched into the lower cabinet space like that. Then again, he was at fault for thinking negatively in the first place. It was a force of habit from his surrounding, and he put that much force into looking away. Which was actually a bad idea.

Kiba intercepted that swift head turn and tracked it back to the source. "Aw, your snow white all over, Sasuke!"

"Dude!" Naruto hit tomato levels of red all over his face.

"What?!" Sasuke bumped his head in a rush to come out, not quite sure if he'd heard that right since it was pretty hard to hear anything in there. Good thing he'd found a bucket at least to scrape the mess into. He sat there on his butt with that metal tin, rubbing the back of his head. When he looked up and over to the pupper teen, Naruto was practically wrestling him to the ground under the table...so nothing new or helpful there. A Disappointed dip in his lips occurred. He looked to Shikamaru for answers.

The clever one meekly shrugged and said, "Eh, to each his own."

 _\::_ Fight for me, Senpai  _::/_

The trainee never found out what that meant or what had previously been said. He did get to enjoy his dinner properly on a clean table once Gaara had returned and broke up the fight. He was so content that he didn't notice that the others had long since finished before him and were already preparing to go back on deck some minutes ago.

"We're not allowing you guys to train him together anymore and that's final, Naruto!" Shikamaru's fist struck the table, bringing the raven's attention to the situation. "You two clearly can't get along!"

Naruto mimicked his comrades furious action. "Fine! Then let me go before him!"

"What part of 'No' don't you- You're not listening at all! You going first after we just did defense doesn't make an ounce of sense!"

"So letting dog breath over there teach him offensive is the best idea?!"

"Naruto, you honestly can't fight worth a shit without something in your hands, and unless it's someone you don't know! You also tend to forget where you are!" He didn't want to have to state the obvious but he had no choice. "You're best attribute is in weaponry. That's it. "

"I can't fight?!" Was all Naruto heard. "You must need a demonstration?!" His attempt to actually charge at Shikamaru was thwarted by a cheery copper haired teen that had forced himself down between them with his elbows on the table.

Infuriated, he looked to the culprit, surprised it wasn't Gaara for once. "What are you doing, kibbles?"

"Relax, man." Kiba smiled daringly, leaning up off the table. "I'm more of an aggressive hands on fighter against anybody but our mentors. That's all he's saying."

"Mhm." Naruto shrugged and shoved his hands in the side pockets of his wet suit. His trust in his comrade's standards for boundaries was the only thing causing this kerfuffle and attitude. He didn't know how to outright say that since it was childish to assume the pupper teen would behave that way in training.

Sasuke didn't know this and so still sided with Naruto. He didn't see how Kiba was a better fighter when the teen was practically being jumped by said blond all day. Heck, what happened to 'running away' being his bet? With all those questions popping around, he had to ask, "He's going to teach me how to fight? I thought I had to run?"

"That was for defense situations only because you can't really defend. You won't always be able to runaway though." Shika sighed, waving it off. "You'll see in about an hour why he's teaching you."

 _\::_  New Senpai-More Pain  _::/_

That hour flew by like the rest.

At least Sasuke wasn't freezing his ass off when they went back on deck. It was really late at night so only a little chill drifted in the air. He stood with his arms about himself anyway, waiting on his teacher for the now to get the lesson started instead of staring into his soul. Their unwavering gaze was beginning to make him seriously uncomfortable every passing second. No one was saying anything about it either, not even Naruto. "Um, Kiba?"

"Yes?"

' _...What the hell?'_  Sasuke gawked. "You going to teach me something?"

Kiba crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "You're a little on the scrawny scale."

' _To think I was worried.'_  The raven sighed and looked off elsewhere.

"It's not a bad thing, Sasuke! The plan changes is all. I'm going to teach you how to fight when all else fails and you can't defend a.k.a run away. You're best bet would be how quick you can dish it out which is actually a major part anyway." He smiled reassuringly, hands behind his back. He soon pivot turned and marched over to a nearby crate. "So for my test, all you'll have to do is punch this dummy till it moves at least once! You won't get it in your first go, so today we're just testing you out really."

Sasuke nodded, foolishly thinking this might be the easiest one yet. He believed it more as the clearly used dummy was pulled out with such ease. After it was set on the floor, a loud thunk resonated. He gained a pinch of concern as a result. ' _Technically, every metal stand is heavy...'_  He stopped thinking much of it while the object was pushed across over to him easily.

The tan, abused dummy body, didn't look an ounce threatening.

"Here you go, my student!" He announced cheerfully right in front of the raven and then stepped to the side with a arm out to it. "Wail away once! I want to see how you 'attack', firstly. We'll move on from there, do a little more, and that'll be it for our time today."

"Okay! Can I poke it right quick?" It was a silly question, and he could feel Nara's irritation wafting all around from it. He honestly wanted to test how it really felt since looks could be deceiving.

Kiba nodded, smiling the day away and giving two thumbs up.

That kind of welcoming gesture and enthusiasm allowed the Uchiha to relax and finally conclude that Kiba really was easy going compared to the others. He so pressed a digit happily into the supple torso as far as he could, coming to a quick stop at what he could assume was a plate or something. Overall analysis, this should be that piece of cake he wanted.

"He's sort of testing his opponent?" Gaara uttered on the sidelines among the three of them.

"I love how sure and unsure you sound." Shikamaru smirked the ginger's way, arms crossed. "Was starting to think you were going to give him a free pass all day."

"Well he's not like us so I'm not going to jump on him like I would you all in this situation." Gaara had a weak heart when it came to civilians getting caught up in there mess. "I'd like for him to return to his family mentally intact as well as physically."

"Shouldn't we be a little tougher on him all the more?"

Focused emerald eyes drifted from clever black ones to the trainee now finally attempting to punch the dummy. "We'll see."

Naruto remained silent during their conversation. The redhead had pretty much said what he'd been thinking anyway. All he could hope for is that Sasuke would go home happy and not emotionally scarred or drained once it was all over. His worry made way for unexpected laughter when the raven finally hit the mannequin and withdrew just as fast with a grand burst of curses. "Ouch! You okay, buddy?"

"Fuck you, motherffft!" Sasuke hissed under his breath, holding his wrist as pain seared through his un-clenching fist. "What the hell is in that thing?"

"Oh um, there is metal pole going through it and a thin plate if that's what you mean." Kiba patted the dummy's shoulder proudly. "It makes Aku very sturdy!"

"Aku?! You named it?"

"Hey, I don't judge how you deprive yourself of sunlight, so don't judge my names. I got it from this killer samurai cartoon."

"I believe you're talking about Samurai Jack, Kiba," Gaara informed.

"That's it! It comes on the cartoon network channel?"

"Last time I checked, it had ended on adult swim," Nara pitched in, "Which means the clueless deadweight here hasn't seen it."

Naruto huffed. "Keep on trying me, smart ass. I. will. end. you."

"Ah ba ba ah! It doesn't matter anymore! The real point is, Sasuke, don't judge me and I won't judge you, capisce?" Kiba moved back on track before the worst could begin.

"Yeah, capisce, capisce." He grumbled and shrugged, hand throbbing on without a pause.

"Good, now have a go at Aku, again! But this time, I want you to pretend he just insulted you-NO! He stole your necklace and is about to throw it back in time! Once you have it visualized and get all riled up, hit him as fast you can. This will give me an idea of your momentum because your form has already been calculated as poor, but don't worry about that. You're going to do so much better later on!" His over nine thousand energy level and intoxicating optimism nearly made the Uchiha feel bad for becoming upset with him earlier. "Once you've done that, we can call it!"

"Alright, Kiba." How could he not at least try? His teacher was to understanding. He so took a deep breath, shut his eyes and went to imagining this Aku person stealing his necklace. He had the image now in place. There was, however, no real big amount of anger. He tried regardless, and put that half full bag of rage into each strike against the mannequin.

"Very good, Sasuke! Keep going for as long as you can and be more aggressive! You must absolutely loathe Aku! Remember, he stole your necklace!" Kiba tried to boost his pupils motivation, circling him and going on and on. "Imagine he's insulting you now! He says only women wear rompers!"

"Why do I take offense to that?"

"Because you wear rompers, Gaara? I'm pretty sure that's your old one he's sporting." Shika smirked, busting out laughing later along with Naruto because the ginger suddenly faltered.

"I-I worked for UPS! I didn't have a choi-You didn't complain when I was getting paid!"

"I'm still not complaining?!"

Gaara bit back, swearing inside, knowing he was technically right as usual. He stayed a thin mint away from slapping that smug look off his comrades face. If it didn't suit him so much, he probably would have. Sighing in defeat with a curt blush, he mentally waved the white flag. "Fine! Since you're so on top of everything, what can we do to improve Sasuke's aggression?"

"Hm?" He'd actually forgotten about the Uchiha for a second from ogling at that weird and abrupt hint of color on the redhead's face. "Oh, he simply needs to get his head in the game. All he's doing now is basically flailing effortlessly."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Easy for you to say."

"You mean like your small side comments? At least I can admit that I was lazy at one point in my life and you as well. We both got our shit together though for the sake of all of us."

"Then maybe that's the key." Gaara departed from the sidelines over to Kiba where he whispered something helpful into the teen's ear. Shortly afterwards, he returned back to his spot, half grinning at a seemingly curious Nara.

"Hmm, Sasuke, you have a family?"

Sasuke kept on punching at a meager pace, sending a glance his teachers way. "Yeah?"

"Do you love them?"

"Yes."

"Do you miss them?" Kiba circled on him, hands behind his back innocently.

"Of course!" There were moments where he couldn't stand the sight of them. He didn't necessarily wish to stop seeing them either. Most times the anger was because of a misunderstanding or from a lack of communication about the real problem in their lives. He still missed them and hoped to god they were safe.

"You want to go back home?"

' _Without Naruto?'_ Not a chance. He'd come this far for him and wasn't going to go back unless the blond called it quits. He thus shook his head and said, "No."

"I'm happy you feel that way because there won't be a home to go back to should you keep at it like this." Kiba stopped behind the dummy and held up against it's back. "If you really love them and care about them, you'd try just a little harder."

"I am!"

"No you're not. Look at how slow you're moving. Are you tired again? We just started!"

Now the raven was getting agitated. "No."

"Then hit it!"

"For the last time, I am!"

"Bullshit. This is not the fastest you can go!" Kiba needed to him to give it his all. "I know you're holding back!"

"I'm not!" Yes he was. He denied himself the truth. Some people are only aware of their real potential when adrenaline kicks in or when they have no real choice in the situation. Sasuke represented a mixture of both. He needed that rush as well as forced circumstances. Kind of like what happened with the running exercise.

The pupper teen had the perfect solution for this.

"HA, sure. Hey Naruto, hop in the crate for me," Kiba ordered, thrilled with the blonds unquestioning compliance. Ecstatic, he followed him over. After the teen got inside, he closed the lid and locked it. The reaction from raven was spot on his expectations.

"What are you doing?" He retained his cool no matter how much it was raising his blood pressure. "Kiba?"

"Wah? I'm not doing anything! You just keep on punching! You're clearly doing all you can," as Kiba said that so mockingly, he pushed the crate down to the stern of the ship near the drop off.

Sasuke's punches eventually started to slow down, focus on the crate. ' _He wouldn't! Would he?'_  Sasuke switched his worrisome eyes to the two oldest on the ship.

They didn't reassure him in the least. Shikamaru had the nerve to sneer.

' _What the hell is wrong with them?!'_ Sasuke broke away from the dummy and went right to his friends aid. "Kiba, stop! This isn't funny!"

"What do you mean? I'm honestly not doing anything." He proceeded to push figuratively and physically. "Like you."

"What are you talking about?!" Sasuke positioned himself on the other end of the crate in an attempt to halt it. "You're the one that's trying to drown him!"

"Correct! You see how upset you just got with me right now for clearly stating a lie? I'm proud that you've gone a extra step further to try and stop me like I've done in order to help you."

"What?" Surely attempted murder of his best friend wasn't the way to go about it all. "This is a lesson?"

"Actually it's my attempt at reaching you. You see, I know you think you're doing it, but you can't merely 'do' with us. You have to do more! I promise you, our mentors are ruthless!" Kiba stressed, giving the crate a push just to keep the raven on edge. "We can fight, Sasuke, but not against them. They made us and they will destroy us if they catch us. We have to be prepared!"

He held his ground good enough to stop it from moving. "So putting Naruto in a crate and trying to drown him is necessary to tell me this because?"

"To express how dire this situation is! We do want you to live, Sasuke. We all do! No one wants to die! But when situations like this are common, you need to learn to give it all you've got to stop it from happening, or tough the fuck through it! You can't protect so you must attack!"

"Okay, okay, I understand! Please just let him out!" Sasuke already knew for a fact that he didn't want anything like this to happen for real.

"Sure thing!" He unlatched the crate top, stepping back swiftly out of the blond's reach when he sprouted out suddenly.

"Kibbles, I'm going to kil-Why...Why are we down here?" Naruto looked around, coming to a confused stop, peering past the sheepish raven and realizing where he was going. He turned to look at Kiba, brow twitching. "Were you about to push me off the boat?!"

"Noo, why would I- That's-That's silly." Kiba smiled uneasily, both hands on his hips, sweat drop.


	13. Weapons Pt 1

_\::_  Kiba's Score - Naruto's Toys  _::/_

Of course Naruto didn't believe Kiba's denial to doing such a thing. His plan to achieve vengeance by at least smacking Kiba one good time on the back of the head, were automatically forfeited. He was suddenly lifted up and out of the crate like a rag doll by Shikamaru. How demeaning. "I can get out myself!"

"You took too long, obviously," Shika retorted with a scoff, pushing the crate back where it belonged. "We don't have time for your pride."

Oh they absolutely didn't.

Kiba didn't waste another minute as a result. He ushered the raven back to the dummy and got him working like he was never supposed to have left. The encouragement didn't stop and neither did the circling. This time he was more than satisfied with the new quicker pace than the half-ass one previously taken by the trainee. "Good job, Sasuke! Keep at it till you drop!"

' _I'm about to!'_ Sasuke screamed to himself. This extra effort he put in was only because he desperately wanted to stop, but also didn't want to disappoint everyone. He wouldn't have to worry about it after a while because his body naturally started to give up. It showed in each drawn out punch at the mannequin's face that eventually turned into weak, miserable slaps at the thing.

"Shika, I think he's done." Gaara chuckled, shoulder bumping the power napping clever one next to him.

"Huh, hm?" He jerked awake from his steady back position on the rail, blinking to clear his vision. "Ah, he's about as done as I am. Kiba, time!"

Kiba nodded his comrades way that he understood. He then went over behind the dummy and peaked over its shoulder. "Hey, Sasuke, you're done! Congratulations! You have poor form and speed! All can be improved though! So don't worry about it."

"Thank you." Sasuke smiled, slumping against the testing doll to catch a breather. That was short lived when it was suddenly taken away from him, causing him to crash to the deck on his stomach with a groan. "Oww.."

"Sorry, gotta keep moving!"

"Indeed we do." Shikamaru followed up with a yawn and a stretch. "Mr. Uchiha, you have a ten minute break. Use it wisely."

The raven groaned again, choosing the deck as his choice of resting place. Moving sounded like too much work.

"You alright, bud?" Naruto crouched down and placed a hand on the downed teens back. "You didn't break anything on impact, did you?"

"Hiem mud." Came the mumbled response. He was okay. Just really tired at this point from being full and other sorts of things.

"Then it must be real comfortable down there. Better make way then."

Sasuke smiled, turning his head sideways to an equally smiling blond. There was that old friend of his. Drugged on nostalgia, he reached out and grabbed Naruto's wrist to meagerly force him down quicker. "Hurry up."

"I am, I am!" He laughed, laying on his back beside the raven. A shiver struck throughout his body a second later. "Gah, you know it's freezing down here?!"

"Mhm."

"No wonder you're so pale."

"Why is everyone ganging up on my skin all of a sudden?" Sasuke kept that smile as he rolled over on his back and closed the gap between their shoulders. "If you're all just jealous, that can't be helped," he said with a smirk and a pat on his friend's hand near his waist.

"Oh, har-har! Careful with that ego." The blond grinned and glanced over. "That's not very attractive."

"Look who's talking!" Outing Naruto like that got him a series of ticklish pokes at his sides. "Aha! Ha-I'm sorry it's true! Heh-stop it!" His broken laughter and adorable attempts at trying to push away the blonde's hands, were the only reason Naruto did stop. He didn't want to share this with everyone else.

"It's also true that no one likes a smart ass!"

Sasuke looked over to the one guy on the ship that held that title. "You sure about that?"

Naruto followed the raven's eyes over to the other members a good distance away. "Oooohh, you mean Shika? Who would like that bastard?"

"You're kidding?" The shocked look he gave his friend was met with a confused one.

"What? You can't mean Gaara? They're just playing!" As Naruto looked on and paid more attention, he started to not trust his own beliefs as much. Mainly because of how they were smiling more than often at each other, especially the ginger. That could easily just be them being more friendly? "I think."

"There's no harm in it." Sasuke mumbled to himself.

Naruto shrugged. ' _I guess.'_ He really didn't think Shikamaru would be a good lover for Gaara since the redhead was more nurturing and not so rough all the time and stoic. Then again, when he thought about how his parents looked, they matched in a weird light. "Hey, buddy. What were my parents like?"

Surprised, the raven sat up in anticipation to answer. "They were amazing!"

"Cool, but what were they like-like?" He got up on his butt too, sitting indian style. "You know, personality wise."

"Oh! Where do I start?" Sasuke pondered, choosing to start with the blond's mother. "Kushina has a very open personality. She's also kind, sociable, courageous, and loud. As for Minato, he's all that too, but quiet and more collected. They're both very encouraging as well. So, think of you! Just more your mother!"

Naruto smiled inside and out, happy to hear that. "Awesome."

"Would you like to see them again? I have some pictures online," Sasuke gladly said, scooting over closer.

"You know what? Why not?" Nervousness struck the blond and he hid it poorly behind a slight grin. The emotions that accompanied his parents when he saw them, made him this way.

"Great! Hopefully Shikamaru will let me borrow his laptop after-"

"What? I heard my name and laptop in the same sentence," Shika cut in, shooting a peculiar look their way.

Naruto gave a fleeting wave before saying, "Heyyy, we just wanted to borrow your laptop so I can look at some pictures of my parents!"

"Uhuh. I suppose these pictures are stored somewhere that requires a login?"

' _Well, duh?'_ Sasuke didn't see the issue with that. "It's an easy login and we won't have to download anything for it."

Sighing, actually regretful, Shika shook his head. "No."

"Why not?!" Naruto jumped up, ready to start.

"Naruto, you know full well why he can't do that." Gaara didn't like it either but the situation made it so.

"No, I don't!"

"For the love of- He's a missing person, Naruto!" Why Nara shouted was likely the result of impatience, weariness, and partial empathy.

Sasuke glared at Shikamaru, thinking it unfair of him to be so carelessly blunt. He shifted up on his feet after seeing the broken spirit on his blond's face. "Naruto, it's okay. We can always see them after all this over, or better yet, go find them!"

"I'm...It's okay." He agreed that he was emotionally compromised actually. "I shouldn't have asked. I'm not thinking right."

"Yes you are! There's nothing wrong with wanting to see them!" Sasuke misunderstood. He held his friend's shoulders and then their face to make him look his way. "Don't shut down because of this."

Shikamaru, thinking the raven was being incredibly irrational, opted to saying something about it, but the oldest comrade stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. He looked back at pale sympathetic emerald and mumbled a curse, giving in. "Whatever!... Time's up you two! Move on to weapons training!"

Sasuke delayed on that order for the time being. "We'll get to it in a minute! Did you hear me, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded and smiled, wrapping his arms around the raven's waist and pulling him in. "I'm not going to shut down. I was just saying that I agree with him. I should have thought it through. I am happy you were so concerned about me to shout at him like that!"

"Ah! I-It's not that big of a deal!" He surely hoped Shika wasn't mad at him for it. With the blond hugging him so close, his focus changed. He was nearly forced to stand on his toes because Naruto was somewhat taller and thus lifting him a bit. "You've yelled at him many times too!"

"Mmm, true."

' _Idiot! Don't hum against me like that!'_  Poor Sasuke felt like a doll. A treasured doll. He glowed at the thought and eventually gave into the embrace.

Of course nothing like that lasts forever.

" **I SAID MOVE ON TO WEAPONS TRAINING**!" Shikamaru shouted through a megaphone right at their heads, not a single note missed. He'd blame his growing tiresome state to be the cause of his 'lost cool' later next morning if brought up. Till then, all pent up hell was about to be let loose. " **THAT MEANS NOW! YOU USELESS DRA-Nngh**!" he faltered mid rant from a sudden pressure on his back that moved to removing stress in his shoulders and rid him of tension all together.

"I think they heard you the first time. Come rest." Gaara calmed the beast down over to the bench, sparing the two embraced from further deafening.

"They're just so infuri-"

"I know."

"We're on a time crunch too so we shouldn't be wasting it to-"

"You're absolutely right." He rested Nara's head on his lap, untying that lengthy hair to run his fingers through it easier, knowing it to soothe even the most ruffled of men. "You should take a breather for a minute from all your hard work."

"Hm... exactly!"

"Mhm."

"I deserve another power nap!"

"Indeed." Gaara smiled down even when his wrist closest to reach was seized. He looked into those beat black orbs and became surprised at the level of seriousness behind them. "Nara?"

"Don't let those morons slack just because I'm out for a bit."

He laughed softly at the silly command. "My, my, you must really be exhausted."

"You're right. I can trust you with almost anything but handcuffs. Speaking of which, we need to talk later tonight." Shika yawned, laying the ginger's hand over his eyes.

"Can I lay on you too?" Kiba mewled from the left, lighting up when he got gentle nod of approval. He crawled up the bench and down on the free space remaining on the other side. If he had a tail, it would be wagging away in satisfaction that his hair was played in too.

With hose two off to dreamland, Gaara focused back on the ones still recovering from almost having their eardrums burst. "Have you guys come to yet?"

"Well I can hear you so I guess I'm not deaf after all." Naruto chuckled, rubbing his ears.

Sasuke was actually better off since the blond took the full brunt of it by unfortunately being on the wrong side of it all. "I am good!" he announced with a thumbs up, coming to an awe face at the scene on the bench . "You really are like a mother to them, Gaara."

"A mother? Oh no!" His face tinted just barely. "I typically provide the most care is all."

"And cook."

"And break up fights," Naruto pinched in, stretching out for the work ahead. "He cleans pretty good too."

Gaara's face tinted just a little more, uncomfortably flattered. "Why don't you both stop talking about me or I'll wake these two up to help with your motivation."

"He can be maniacal too," he whispered to the raven out of the corner of his mouth.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Getting to work!" Naruto laughed nervously, pulling Sasuke away to a cabinet beside the crate. While unlocking it, he said, "Okay, now, as you probably have guessed, I like toys."

"Pardon?" He cocked his head to the side at the blond.

"Guns? Bats? Crowbars? Hell, even that gem you're wearing can be deadly if used correctly!"

Sasuke nodded, a thumb and forefinger to his chin. "Hmmm, so you really aren't so good without something in your hands?"

"It's more like I feel comfortable with something in them and or in reach. Which is sort of the jist of what I'll be teaching you!" The cabinet was then flung open like it was flashing something bad and sketchy. The many items for destruction within the cabinet were silly and real. They ranged from guns to actual crowbars like he'd suggested. There were even nun-chucks, mallets, switchblades, and a trash bag! "Anything can be a weapon! We also have desk supplies in that corner!"

Naruto's excitement was starting to startle/concern the raven a bit. "Desk supplies?"

"Hell yeah! Sometimes you lose your gun, knife, sword, whatever! So you have to improvise! You see this fork?" Naruto picked up one of the many silvers in there and held it with both hands in Sasuke's face. "Where would you stick this?!"

"What?!"

"He means if you want to instantly kill someone," Gaara explained on the side, simultaneously keeping the other two well knocked out with light petting.

"I'm teaching, Gaara!" He waved his comrade off and brought the students attention back. "Where would you stick this in your enemy?! We'll get to concealing later on in training which is a long way from now."

"Um...in the neck?" Sasuke had never killed or planned to kill anyone...especially not with a fork.

"What?! The neck?! No! Fail!" Disappointed, he tried again and this time pulled out a stapler. "What about this?"

"I guess I could beat someone with that? "

"Eh, that's a step down from your last answer but it's okay."

Sasuke let out a breath of relief and a sweat drop. ' _As long as he's not upset.'_

"How about this?!" A handgun with no clip was brought up next.

"I'd shoot them with it?"

"Wrong. Try again."

Now the raven was confused. He was pretty sure that usually kills people or wounds them. The goal is to completely kill someone though. He didn't state where to shoot, so perhaps that was it. "I'd shoot them in the head or heart?"

"Sasuke, no." Naruto shook his head, a small smile on his lips from amusement. "What am I holding?"

"A gun."

"Correct, but look." He turned it to the side via the grip so they could see the missing magazine more fully. "Aw man, there's no ammo in sight! What do we do with it now, Sasuke? Know of any exciting ways you could use this? Come on, impress me."

Sasuke leaned back from how close and deceivingly suggestive the blond appeared. "Uh-," he stumbled out, hands behind his back to relieve anxiety by gripping his own wrist really tight. "I could hit someone on the head with it like you did!"

"Gasp!" Yes, the Uzumaki teen actually said it aloud. "You remembered!"

Sasuke nodded, thinking, ' _How the hell could I forgot?'_

"Then you also remember that I didn't kill those guys by doing that. You're on the right track though so I won't fail you for it." He moved on, loading the gun this time. "Now, my mission is to show you anything has the potential to kill someone and or at least maim. So for my test, you will not only execute deadly force safely with basic means but also unconventional ones. We'll do basic first."

Sasuke went into panic mode when the weapon was tossed his way. He caught it with tons of fumbles and a near miss.

"Don't freak so much, bud. The safety is on!"

"Oh!" He relaxed only to have all that ease become undone when Naruto shifted behind him and ran his hands up his sides. Which simultaneously caused him to lift his arms to whatever degree was wished. They stopped at a drawn position out before him, support at the elbow. "N-Naruto?!"

"Sshh, focus." Naruto helped him to steady that aim thanks to how rigid the raven had become. Pleased, he stepped out and in front of the barrel, holding it close to his chest.

"What are you-!"

"It's okay! It's okay, relax! The safety is on, remember? I want you to understand how important it is to always keep that on until you're sure of who, what, and where your target is. Nothing else, understand?"

Sasuke nodded, trembling and straining from dropping the weapon or jerking it away to point at anywhere else.

"Watch me," he ordered and led his students eyes to the safety switch. "It's this easy to switch on and of-

"No!" Sasuke shouted loud and terrified enough to stir the ones sleeping.

"Alright, relax!" Naruto backed off that switch quick. "We'll leave it on."

"Thank you…" It wasn't like his finger was on the trigger. He simply didn't want to take any chances.

"You know you're going to have to actually kill someone at some point during all of this? It may not be to just save your ass either-"

"I get it, Naruto." Sasuke didn't think he could be beat over the head with that enough today. He wished he could make them see that there was no way he would become like them overnight or by the end of the week. Done with it all, he gave up his grip on the gun. "Is that it?"

No answer. The blond simply walked to his cabinet, put up the weapon and locked it. His disappointment showed in those silent and quick actions.

"I take it you are done already, Naruto?" Gaara's legs were going numb so he was more than anxious when he asked that.

"Done and tried for now," Naruto said with a curt salute the gingers way, refusing to look at Sasuke. His training was going to go nowhere anyway if that mentality was kept.

"Hm, well that was way too short. We'll let you do more in the morning on the way back."

"Sure." He shrugged, leaving to his room without waiting for his sullen bunk mate.

"Okay then." Without a further word, Gaara shoved the two sleepyheads off of him onto the deck. As he expected, Shika landed in a push up position while Kiba flat out landed with a smack, face first. "So you  _were_  awake this whole time?"

"Of course not." Shikamaru jumped up, groggy and curious from seeing the trainee all by himself. "It looks as bad as it sounded."

"Everyone's sleepy is all. I'm sure it'll pick up in the morning." The redhead stood and stretched, working out the interrupted circulation in his legs. "Still want to talk?"

"Definitely, but first, Uchiha!" Shikamaru turned to the teen he called.

Sasuke looked up from his self loathing thoughts. "Yes?"

"Go to bed."

\:: That's An Order ::/

Naruto laid above the covers of the twin bed, bathed and back boxer sporting like that morning. He was sure he was the first one actually close to sleeping. If it weren't for Sasuke having to take the world's longest shower with all the lights on, then perhaps he'd be off to dreamland. Who was he kidding? He was in fact just upset that the training went poorly so fast. He was even more pissed when the raven had entered the room not saying a word about it.

They were never going to succeed if Sasuke was that scared to take the safety off alone. Maybe he should start him off with the unconventional means first. That would set him back further though. Sighing, the blond rolled over on his side, facing outward to the room. "Sasuke!"

"What?!"

Naruto could barely hear him with the water still running. "You almost done?!"

"Maybe!"

' _The fuck are you doing?'_ Annoyed, he hustled off the bed to the bathroom door. In mid preparation to bang the hell out of it, the squeaky sound of shower turning off could be heard. He eased down, knocking twice. "Can I come in?"

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"Laugh at what?" He didn't wait for the raven to answer that question. He barged right on in and smiled at the rather odd sight. "Does your hair always get that flat?"

Sasuke tightened the towel around himself. His madly flushed face stayed partially hidden behind his shoulder length hair. "It only does this when I stay in for too long...It'll flair back out eventually!"

"What about the towel?"

"What of it?"

"Why do you have it wrapped around all the way up to your chest?" Naruto scratched the back of his head in bewilderment. "You don't have any brea-"

"I know! I just like it like this…" He crossed his arms, embarrassed already as it is.

"That's cool! No problem with that."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"Can I dry off right quick then?"

"OH! Sure! Sorry, heh." Naruto stepped out, cursing at himself for ogling that long in the first place and forgetting what he was really going in there for. Sasuke was just so different and fidgety than what he was used to. His mind roamed to possible solutions on how to better use that. He knocked a second later, twice, having an idea. "Hey, about earlier, I'm sorry. I forgot how uncomfortable you are with death."

Sasuke froze, halfway dressed. "What do you mean?"

"You can't handle losing someone. Looking back at your room and all those newspaper clippings, explains it. All that time you searched and still went nowhere. Its made me realize you never let me go or even tried to."

"Your point is?" His voice cracked as he bit back the waterworks. "If you lost one of them then you'd do the same!"

"Sasuke, I didn't mean it was a bad thin-"

"Then what?! You don't want me here anymore?!"

"How many times are you going to ask that?" Naruto sighed, opening the door to exactly what he expected..sort of. The raven was pants-less, but that was a minor issue because the long pale blue shirt he wore covered over the lower zone. Other than that, everything else was in order. Meaning the teen was breaking down and hadn't even dried his hair yet. He picked up a towel and went to drying his friend's hair for him, chuckling when they flinched now realizing he was there.

"What are you doing?! I'm not-Mmf!" He dropped the towel over Sasuke's head, covering that weeping face and so cutting him off.

"Hush! You're tired and wet. I'm tired too though so we're both not going about things right. That's all I'm saying." Naruto dried dark hair the best he could before lifting the damp cloth up, taking a peek at that pale face that wasn't crying anymore. "You good?"

"Um, yes." Sasuke's eyes remained cast down, hands at the edge of his shirt to keep it low as well. He was much better, understanding the frustration cooked up from tiredness. "I'm sorry too."

"You can make it up by sleeping with me!" Naruto beamed, tossing the towel aside and scooping up the panicking raven in his arms.

"IDIOT! NO! Naruto, put me down!" He couldn't decide whether to hold his shirt or lock on around the blond's neck. "I-I- haven't-"

"Jeez, calm down!" He tossed Sasuke onto the bed and then climbed on in himself, bringing the covers up to their stomachs. "Comfy?"

"...I'm not wearing anything under this shirt!"

"You're point is?" Naruto was at lost for a second till he remembered the incident in the tunnel. "Oh crap! Sorry, I forgot you're not comfortable with that, hold on."

Sasuke waited, watching his childhood friend retrieve him some shorts. He nodded a thank you before slipping them on under the sheets. His face lighted pink a color when his friend came back and snuggled up against him, arms around his waist. Grumbling and flustered, he asked, "Comfy, dobe?"

Naruto nodded against the blushing teen's shoulder, moving closer and cuddling more against their wishes. He was simply content with at least being allowed to be this close. Sasuke's cold body combated his overly warm one so well that he practically drifted off in minutes later, leaving the raven to get over the situation alone.

\:: Meanwhile ::/

"How long do you want to give them tomorrow?!" Gaara asked aloud from the bathroom, drying up his hair via a blow dryer. "We won't make it back inland within an hour so that gives us more time!"

"I don't think it'll help, but eh." Shikamaru shrugged, resting indian style on the platform bed with his laptop open. He was more focused on googling things unrelated to the situation in a way. "We could give them thirty minutes tops, maybe."

The loud click of a hair dryer turning off was followed by the creak of a door. Gaara peeked out of the bathroom. "Do you think it's that pointless?"

"Hm? No, not at all...Maybe by the beach somewhere… to expensive, but.."

Gaara frowned, a little confused by that. "What?"

"I said it was fine."

It was to late. Curiosity embedded itself in the ginger. It took him a second, but he donned a red, Winnie The Pooh fleece bathrobe and walked out of the restroom, over to his comrade on the bed. He climbed on and over on all fours, coming to a side-sitting position right next to Nara. This way he was able to see what occupied the attention of his friend. "Shika, why are you looking at housings?"

Shikamaru snapped out of his thoughts, coming to the realization of how close they were rather than the question asked. "Here I thought your childish bear obsession was bad. You like apples scents a little too much. "

"Stop dodging." Gaara snickered, adding a thunk to the man's forehead for extra measures.

"Ow?" He rubbed at the assaulted area, smirking. "I didn't dodge that."

"For the love of- Why are you looking at houses, Nara?" The oldest rightfully accused, gesturing to the computer screen filled with available homes.

"You don't know? Normal people live in them legally and-"

"Are you seriously being a smart as-"

"-with the people they love," Shikamaru admitted subtly alongside a trained straight face at the computer screen, "and or cherish. The place is expensive, but I can make do. Likely won't blow this one up either."

"Oh! That's...That's real sweet of you actually." Gaara leaned against Nara's bare shoulder, smiling. "Who are you thinking of?"

"Don't play stupid."

The ginger blushed and looked down at his crossed arms. He had his ideas, and maybe even tiny hopes, but that's all they were. Usually if someone wanted something from him before, they'd just take it. He started to hug himself and bunch up, saying, "You can't be serious."

Shikamaru glanced at his troubled friend then back to the computer screen, clicking on a house for rent. "What do you think of this one? It's two bedrooms, one bathroom, and maybe an hour away from a beach nearby for your walks. Kiba can have one of the rooms. If we all work, we can pay rent fairly easily and perhaps cut a few corners with pet issues."

"What about Naruto?"

"You know damn well he's going to follow Sasuke."

Gaara shook his head, uneasy still. "And me?"

"That's up to you. We can share a room or I can make you one."

A flushed state overtook Gaara's sullen one, helping him take a chance and look at the computer screen with the decent home on display. He then mumbled out, "Are you trying to actually ask me something or are you messing with me?"

"To be honest, theirs about a million things, logically maybe three hundred and so, I'd like to ask you when this whole drag is over."

"Why when it's over?"

"Because for a while now you're all I can think about." Shikamaru saved the page and closed his laptop. He was getting rather annoyed with himself for not being able to properly convey his feelings. "It's very bothersome at times on my part, especially when I'm yelling at Naruto for almost the same thing. So, I'd rather you know now so it's not a spontaneous mess ect."

"This is what you really wanted to talk to me about? You like me and you want me to move in with you and Kiba, but share your bed when all this is over?" Gaara smiled and laughed at the way his comrade dropped back on the bed in frustration, covering his face.

"You drive me crazy! Yes, yes that's what I'm asking."

"We already do those things. The only difference is being a couple." Gaara eased up off the bed to finish actually preparing for such. On the way to the bathroom, he said, "I'll be happy to give you should it make you behave from now on."

Shikamaru, more than relieved, watched him walk away. At that time he couldn't think of anything clever to say back, only, "Sure."


	14. Another Break

_\::_  Wake Me Up  _::/_

Sasuke awoke to the sound of seagulls and his friend's breath on the back of his neck that sent a shiver over his body. He didn't freak out too much since he was now sort of use to the closeness. He carefully escaped from the blond's grip around his abdomen. Now free and off the bed, he stretched those limbs out, smiling at Naruto who was sleeping peacefully. Watching his friend triggered a pleasant memory within him. He sat back down on the bed at the edge and ran his fingers through a tuft of blond hair lovingly, smiling. ' _We're going to get back to that point..eventually.'_

With happy thoughts flooding, he carried on with the morning ritual. When he came back out of the bathroom, all he'd put on was a pair of black capri pants. Yawning, he decided to go on and see if the other's were up. He was hungry and eager to get back to his lessons.

Out in the hall, he picked the door right across from him and knocked with one hand, twirling that gem in the other. "Hello?"

No one responded.

He knocked again. "Anyone awake?"

A rustling sound and bed springs were heard, nothing more.

' _Oh well, this is important.'_ He grabbed that knob, twisted, and pushed in slowly, peeping around when it was wide enough.

At first sight, he saw the room was a lot bigger than his and Naruto's own. It's occupants were the main attraction.

Sasuke didn't even try to suppress that smile etching further across his face. The duo sleeping were too precious for him not to. They looked like a couple that had just gotten off of work late or simply had a rough night in general. He could have assumed more because Shikamaru was shirtless like the redhead laid out against his chest with an arm over. Since the covers were askew, he could see they both still had on sweatpants. His eyes traveled back up to meet peering black ones that looked as if they weren't sure what they were seeing.

"Huh...Uchiha?"

Caught, he played it off like he'd just got there. He sort of did. "G-Good morning, Nara! I was just checking in to see if you guys wer-!"

"Shut it." Shika groaned, a hand up to his forehead from the shouting. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Uh-um...just a minute or so."

"Just a minute or so my ass!"

Gaara stirred from the noise, turning his head away from it and bringing a palm over his pillows mouth. "Shhhhhh."

Sasuke chuckled at the scene, stifling it not even a second later when Nara glared him down hard. He was then directed out via an index finger from said grumpy one. Pouting, he departed and closed the door back, deciding to go check on Kiba. He strolled on off, hoping for a more pleasant morning greeting. At the next door, he knocked a little louder. "Hey, Kiba! You up?"

There was a response, and there were also an abundance of other sounds to accompany it, obscuring whatever had been said.

"Are you okay? What's all that noise?" Sasuke ended up taking a huge leap back away from the door as Kiba came bursting out of it, quickly slamming it back shut.

"A-Ahoy, Sasuke!"

"Ahoy there yourself..are you okay?" He asked again, observing Kiba's rather clean and yet messy appearance. The teen smelled and looked like he'd taken a bath. He also looked as if he was smacked with every furry and feathery animal known to man afterwards.

"Uhh, this?" Kiba pulled at his shirt nearly fluffed. "They hate it when I take a shower because it gets rid of their scent. Gaara won't let me eat at the table otherwise and sharing with them is a nightmare so...here I am!"

Sasuke nodded, understanding and amused at the adorable scene before him. He leaned up and swatted at the bundle of fur and feathers in the teen's hair sticking out. "Here, let me help."

"Thank you!" Kiba knelt down so they could reach more, having a feeling he'd be in trouble for arriving like this. He went on and dusted off as much as he could from his clothes as well. "Where's blondy?"

"He's still asleep."

"Dumb ass, of course. What about Shika and Gaara?"

"They're still in bed...Quick question, do they always sleep together?"

Kiba shook his head. "Nah, you guys have Gaara's room. He had to talk with Shika about something anyway so they shared a room tonight."

"Ohhh." That only made his suspicions worse. "Was Shikamaru happy about that?"

"I don't know to be honest. I was half asleep when they dropped me off at my bunk. Why? Are they doing it or something?" Kiba had the nerve to ask and not even wait for an answer. His stomach was growling and he wanted it to stop. He marched straight to their room and twisted that door knob, but it didn't budge. "They locked it!"

Sasuke shrugged. "Guess they aren't ready."

"Wah? No way! It's breakfast time! We never skip it no matter what!" Enraged that his comrades weren't up by now, he banged on the door, shouting, "Open up! You guys can fuck afterwards!"

Sasuke stood there, not sure how to handle the sudden tantrum.

"I'm hungry, Gaara!" he cried out, slumping against the door dramatically. That empty feeling in his tummy intensified.

The door was yanked open rather aggressively, causing an unprepared bratty teen to fall right in.

"What the hell are you on about, Kiba?!" Shika stepped aside in time, arms crossed, clearly peeved.

"I'm hungry! Where's Gaara? Did you guys do it?" he whined from the floor.

"He's changing and standing. Hopefully that answers both of your questions. Why do you ask though?" He looked out into the hall, catching sight of a nervous raven in the middle. "Oh, Mr. Uchiha, spreading rumors?"

"What?! No, no, no-I was just- He misunderstood me!" Sasuke held up his hands in promotion of his defense.

"Mhm." Shikamaru actually didn't mind and so brushed it off. "Why don't you two go get Naruto and set up the table. We'll be there in a bit."

"Aww, fine!" Kiba forced himself up and off the floor over to Sasuke, grabbing his wrist and pulling him along across the hall. "Wanna draw on his face if he's asleep!"

Sasuke snickered, nodding. "Why not?"

 _\::_  Can We Learn To Let it Go?  _::/_

"45….46….47….48….49….50." Kakashi sustained his position there in front of the foot of the bed, core perfectly elevated off the floor thanks to his unwavering arm strength. He was physically in the zone. As for his mentality, it was slowly diminishing. His thoughts only circled around his missing apprentice. Where would Menma be sleeping now? What was Menma thinking about? Did Menma miss him? Does Menma know he's thinking about him?

"Menma," he sighed out, dropping down on his shoulder then on his back. That name didn't echo in the room as much as it did in his head. Perhaps he'd gotten to close or not close enough. Whatever the case, this one fact remained.

Menma was not there.

How long had it been? A day? A day and a half? It felt like a month or at least about two weeks. He groaned and cupped his hands over his face, eyes shut tight in frustration."I shouldn't of let you go with him. I swear I'm going to kill tha-"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

There goes someone at the door again for the fifth time this morning. You'd think they'd get it the third time that he would gather his things together whenever he felt like it. It wasn't time to leave yet anyway. Obito had to have his schedule system tight. That cut his extra brooding time in half.

"Kakashi! Open up!" Speak of the devil.

"I'm busy packing!" He flat out lied, waiting for the typical response, half convinced Obi had just walked off instead.

"We're going out to eat, drink, and relax before we leave later on today. Think of it as a meek celebration. You coming?"

Finding that odd, Kakashi sat up and asked, "Why are we celebrating?"

For a few minutes there was nothing but awkward quietness which was starting to piss him off. So he forced himself up and hustled over to the door, unlocking and pulling it open to a typical sight. All three of his brothers were in the hallway with an mid argument type of vibe about them. "Good morning?"

Jiraiya was first to speak up with a roll of his eyes, "You coming or what?" All the pervert got was a blank stare.

"At least come to spite Jiraiya."

"Fuck you, Ochi!"

Obito shook his head at the two bickering yet again, turning to Kakashi. "So how about it?"

"Why are we celebrating?"

"Yesterday was the last day. We can all finally go home soon and get this over with."

"We need our students though? All we have is on-"

"Ah-bup-bup! Sshh," Obi interrupted above him, a hand raised. "They're coming for us. All we have to do is wait. "

"What if they don't?"

' _...Did you not hear a damn thing I said at the bar?'_ Obito let those thoughts display on his face. "Don't make me repeat myself."

Kakashi teetered on doing it just to piss off his older comrade. "What happened to me laying low?"

"I've paid off a few establishments and made a few empty promises! So, come celebrate with us!" The way Obito proclaimed that was almost creepily happy. "Sakura and Neji are guarding our rooms. They'll notify us immediately of anything suspicious."

Orochimaru stepped up and patted Kakashi on the shoulder. "It'll be good for you to have some fun."

"Aw what the hell, I've kind of missed hanging out with a mind like my own with to much heart." Jiraiya smiled, car keys in hand. "That doesn't mean I'm talking about you or anything."

"Hm." They dragged out a humored chuckle from Kakashi and a small smile. They just went a whole second not intentionally trying to hurt each other. "Well in that case, let me get dressed."

\:: An Attempt ::/

No one likes waking up to obscenities on their face. Naruto wasn't all that keen on the fact for sure. He stood at the sink, begrudgingly wiping 'baka' off his forehead, swirls off his cheek and drawn on crooked glasses around his eyes. It could've been much worse. He was sure it wasn't all because of Sasuke. No, the blame had to be shared with the brown haired kid across then den area, smiling all innocently by said raven in the booth. He grumbled out, "I know you guys had something to do with this!"

Sasuke played oblivious. "What are you talking about?"

"You clearly sleepwalk." Kiba shrugged, arms crossed. "Or sleepdraw."

"Sleepdraw?!" Naruto shouted in disbelief, looking back from the sink in time to see the two culprits laughing. Snarling, he threw down the rag. Before he could make his way over to them, the door to their little dining area opened wide.

Shikamaru filed in with his street clothes on. Gray hoodie, jeans, and combat boots. Short and basic, hinting that they weren't going to be on the boat much longer. He dropped down in the booth beside Kiba and placed his laptop on the table. He then went to fixing his hair up lazily, grouchy.

"Good morning to you too, Shika!" Forgetting his rampage, Naruto rolled his eyes and went back to cleaning off his face. He wasn't surprised when he all achieved was a grunt.

"Good morning again as well, Shika!" Sasuke tried again this time, cheerfully.

Shikamaru winced, finishing up with his hair and then glaring at the Uchiha, simply saying, "Coffee."

"Pardon?" The raven tilted his head to the side confused.

"OH! Shika and Gaara have this like 10 minute grace period in the morning until they can't function without coffee. So best not to talk to either of them unless it's important," Kiba offered up that little late tippet with a shoulder bump, "unless it's necessary, like this."

Sasuke witnessed the animal lover scoot around next to the clever man and lay against his shoulder. He was sure the teen was going to get pushed off. Instead, Kiba was petted! This threw the raven off on so many levels.

Kiba grinned big, asking, "When's Gaara coming?"

"Soon, so off." Shika stopped petting the child and went to work on his laptop.

"See that." Kiba backed off as told. "If you did that Sasuke, he'd probably hit you."

"No shit," the raven said without care, honestly surprised when Nara laughed at that. Smiling inside at the accomplishment, he almost missed his best friend slumping down beside him all grumpy like. "Naruto?"

"We're heading back in land." Naruto stared across the table at the man responsible. He picked up on that by the choice of the clever one's clothes. He sat up and pushed said man's laptop closed. "Why?!"

It took everything Shikamaru had not to seriously beat the blond in front of him. He propped his elbows up on the table and closed his hands together, bringing his mouth behind them. "I told you yesterday that we- Never mind. You must think this will interfere with you finishing your lackluster training last night?"

Naruto matched Nara's intense stare, slowly sitting back down. "Yeah."

"You'll get to finish. Don't worry."

"That's good news!" Sasuke didn't like the constant tension between the two.

Naruto nodded and said, "I guess...I'm sorry. I'm just hungry."

Sasuke looked from Naruto to Kiba and then to Shikamaru, seeing a pattern. Thinking it a good time, he decided to bring up his concerns. "Do you all want to talk about it when Gaara gets here?"

"Talk about what? Breakfast?" Shikamaru dodged the actual question convincingly ignorant.

"What?! No." Sasuke put his hands on the table. A serious like gesture in some situations. "I mean about what they did to you guys!"

Silence filled the air seconds after and left the raven startled. The three men around him were all sharing a desolate expression.

"What do you mean besides the obvious?" Naruto came to a second later. "I thought we discussed everything."

Sasuke fumbled, not sure how to ask what he really wanted to ask after seeing that. Thankfully, Shikamaru did it for him, kind of.

"He means why are we so easily triggered." Shika sighed in a bored like manner, being the one on board that truly couldn't cope too well with his anger. He opened his laptop and tapped away, waiting for it to power back on. "If you must know, it's just one of the many products of our previous surroundings. I do believe we are making progress though."

"Sure..." Sasuke mumbled, nervously looking down till Naruto put an arm around his shoulders.

"You don't have to worry about us." The blond smiled down at his concerned buddy. "You're mind should be on this training after we eat!" he proclaimed with a smack of the table that he regretted seconds later, seeing how it scared the Uchiha. "Sorry!"

"It's okay." Sasuke dismissed the action, not meaning to be so jumpy. He looked to the pupper teen seconds later, seeing them appear gloomy for once and hugging themselves. "Kiba?"

"It wasn't all bad...sometimes when I think about... about the bad things... it hurts.. and..I-I-," Kiba stumbled as if broken mentally for a little for a second. Randomly, he shouted, "I'ma go get Gaara!" The wild teen crawled up on the table suddenly, shocking only Sasuke. Seconds later after Shika moved his laptop, said teen jumped down, leaving the room without a word.

"Hm, he didn't start crying this time. That's good." Nara's computer powered on like a signal it was okay to talk again.

Sasuke stared, mouth agape. "This is actually worse!"

"What do you want from us, Uchiha?" He glanced up from his laptop, annoyed.

"Why don't we talk about something else?" Naruto shrugged nervously, worried about the tension. "Breakfast would be a good start!"

No one else heard that.

Sasuke crossed his arms and sat back in the booth, feeling a little agitated himself with how the supposed clever man kept taking his actions negatively. "Well I'd like for you guys to at least try talking this out. It worked when you all were in the tunnel."

"Of course." Shikamaru got up from the booth, not aggressively but not in a good mood either. He walked over to the coffee maker and started it up. "How about this, should we live through the first step of our plan, then we'll all sit down at a nice little campfire and talk about all of our traumatizing experiences."

That didn't sound very convincing, nor thrilled. Sasuke sighed, accepting the circumstances. "Promise?"

"What are you, five?" Shikamaru watched his coffee, one hand on the counter and the other on his hip. "Everything I say, I mean."

"Then saying 'I promise,' shouldn't be a problem." The Uchiha sat there determined. His old friend didn't say a word and partially looked uncomfortable.

"You're definitely five. I'm only going to say it so you'll shut up." Beep! Beep! Beep! Off went the coffee machine fast. Shikamaru cleared his throat and retrieved two mugs out of the cabinet, filling them. "I promise."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He came back minutes later to the booth and sat down, placing both mugs side by side on the table.

"Glad you guy's sorted that out." Naruto cheered even though the still angry duo weren't so relaxed.

\:: It's Not Easy ::/

Sasuke and Shikamaru's feud hung around like a cloud long after Gaara had finally made an appearance and started breakfast. Kiba came back to his spot in a normal manner than the way he left. He had his phone this time and was quieter than usual. Even the redhead on board hadn't really said anything during the time he arrived or when they all finally got to eat breakfast. The only good thing that came out of those awkward minutes, was how quickly the meal was over.

"Everyone take five and we'll get back to training. It shouldn't be to difficult so our little pampered guest won't throw up his breakfast." Shikamaru glanced at the raven he was poking fun at, un-expecting a comeback.

"You must be upset about the promise?" Sasuke brought it up, catching the clever man wince. "Don't worry. I haven't forgotten it."

Gaara chuckled and turned in his seat at the head of their little booth, legs crossed and both hands resting around a cup of sweetened coffee. "My, my, you're already making other obligations?"

"It's n-nothing!" His slight but very noticeable stumble caught everyone except the ginger off-guard. Shika really had a weakness when it came to the redhead on bored.

"Don't be like that. It's okay! I'm honestly proud you're being so open!" Gaara beamed, making his love-struck comrade hit their head on their laptop in embarrassment. He also generated a few low key laughs from the other gents on board. "Are you going to tell me what you promised though? Or is that a surprise?!"

"I said I'd set up a campfire so we can all talk about our … lives at the compound," Shika uttered grumpily, raising up and massaging his forehead.

"OH!...oh…" Gaara frowned, switching his cup to one hand so he could straighten out his own gray hoodie. He thought about his moments there...and then some before. Internal screams rang in his head before he suppressed it all so it didn't surface. He put back on his mask and beamed. "That's okay!"

"You all don't have to if it's that bad I don't want anyone to get worst!" Sasuke said as he scooted up and over Naruto to be near the clearly not alright redhead. Good thing the Uzumaki teen was busy trying to switch spots anyway so he could spy on Kibbles.

"My lord, are we that awful?"

"No! I just...I don't want you guys to...keep things in. It hurts when it's all bottled up for so long." The raven thought about his brother in that case.

"Hmm, well don't worry to much. I think it's a very kind idea nonetheless, and there's no better man to make that happen than Shikamaru!" Gaara boasted, taking a sip of his coffee and carelessly placing a hand over said man's own near the computer. Sound dissipated from the room again among a more light atmosphere this time.

Shikamaru himself had maybe the faintest hint of a possible blush as he nodded a bit, not wanting to move his hand the slightest yet. "Quite."

"Hey, are you two dating now?" Naruto spoke up, looking up from the goat video Kiba was watching. He had still been observing and listening on the sly. "Or is it just physical?"

The redhead went red, the clever man went blank, and the raven merely laughed with a hand over his mouth.

"You're just as nosy as your friend here." Nara groaned, switching to holding Gaara's hand. "Why don't you guys head back on deck, times almost up."

"You didn't answer his question." Kiba dropped his phone on the table to gawk at them. "You two really ar-

"I said head back on!" Shikamaru ordered more firmly this time, shocked to silence a second later when he received a peck on the cheek from a special someone.

"We talked about it last night, Kiba. We're going to try to wait till this is all over. Emotions like this can be very compromising." Gaara showed a smidge of sadness in his own words by accident. "Let that be the end of it, please."

"Ah, oki!" Kiba went back to his goats, waiting for them to exit the booth, knowing damn well he can't leave like he did last time now that Gaara was there.

Naruto shrugged, thinking there reason to be stupid and so pushed an aw-struck Sasuke to move out of the booth. "Hey bud, move it! We've got work!"

As all but Shikamaru left the booth, Gaara prepared to leave behind them. When he stood, he was sort of jerked back into a certain lap, failing at his main strength, scaring himself for a split second. "G-Gah! Shika what are you-" He lost his voice and calmed down when he was hugged tight, a forehead resting against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry! I'm just...I'm going to kill him."

Gaara released a breath he didn't know he was holding and smiled. "Glad you're hugging me then!"


	15. Weapons Pt 2

All five of the gents were now back on deck preparing for Sasuke's last lesson of the day. While his teacher for that morning was setting up, he took that time to sit on the bench by Gaara and converse about the whole camp fire ordeal. Of course it was much to the annoyance of Shikamaru. It's not like it was a hard task. No, the issue was the 'talk' itself. The clever man could not deal with that. There were a lot of things he'd rather just forget and keep buried. He dwelled on the inevitable, unable to block out the conversation.

"It has to be somewhere nice. Maybe somewhere at the  _Four Kings Ruins Fair_ after the five day celebrations are over," Gaara threw out options, entertained by how thrilled the raven on board was, "The new compound is apparently stationed close by it so it'll be a nice reward when we're done."

"That sounds amazing! I've no idea what that fair is though... Are there like wide plains and or trees everywhere?!"

"Somewhat. It's the same place where the legend takes place, so expect some trees and ruins. It'll take us a few days to get there as well."

"I can wait!"

Shikamaru groaned and left the bench to help the blond get his toys situated. "It's just a damn camp fire."

Naruto chuckled and nudged his grumpy comrade's shoulder. "When we were walking up here, Sasuke went to talking about how we used to go camping. I think that's fueled his hype more."

"You don't say." Shika shook his head. "Let's hope he lives to see it." They both looked over at the two in deep conversation, a bright eyed Kiba at their feet watching attentively.

"Can we bring our tents?" Kiba raised his hand. "I want to share with Sasuke!"

"Aw, Kiba." Sasuke patted the chocolate haired teen, chuckling at how puppy like he was. "I don't mind at all."

"You think Naruto would?" Gaara saw for himself that the blond was actually smiling.

"Pssh, we three can share!" Naruto carried on tossing his many 'weapons' from the cabinet around to the table. He was previously thinking about what Shikamaru had said. Sasuke's life had become rather important to not only him. All of them cared about the raven. It was more natural to do so than they thought.

"Naruto really wants me to bond with you guys anyway so it's okay." The Uchiha smiled, petting the puppy boy more.

"Well I guess you guys can come by for a visit when all this is over." Shikamaru grumbled, setting and order on the table.

"Oooh, wow, like we wanted to hear you guys constantly 'making' out!" Naruto rolled his eyes, smiling a bit when Shika glared at him.

Sasuke quirked his head to the side confused. "Wait, you guys aren't going to find your parents?"

"No," Gaara said flat out, a little too relaxed as if that was the obvious answer.

"But why?!"

"Because our families are dead, Uchiha." Shikamaru didn't say that in any way that was pained or sarcastic. He's had many years to 'get over it', aka suppress. "We have times and dates should that not suffice."

"I.." Sasuke looked down, surprised and mourning for them. "I'm sorry."

"Damn…" Naruto put a hand on his comrades shoulder. "Was it our mentors, Shika?"

"Who else?" Now that was sarcastic. "Our parents weren't so..wealthy."

Naruto retracted, feeling an unnecessary guilt.

"They still should have been protected!"

Gaara's horrible memories were saved from surfacing thanks to that sudden outburst from the Uchiha next to him. "Oh Sasuke, some of them were….It's just bad luck is all."

"That doesn't make it okay!" Sasuke was just as outraged as they were calm.

"If one could change the past then their future would be altered." Shikamaru decided to teach rather than berate. "None of us have that power, so we must manage the present."

The student let that sink in, coming to a decent understanding. He could gripe and groan about the injustice but it will never change what's been done. The course of actions on the other hand..."So, you guys are willing to stop them even if it kills you all? But you won't let go and live your lives? What if these stones are literally just a metaphor in a story?!"

"Revenge is sort of all we know," Kiba spoke up cheerfully, "Plus undying rage! It keeps us going."

Sasuke frowned even more when Gaara nodded to that. "But...I don't want you guys to die for nothing! You can always just alert the authorities."

"Sasuke...I've been missing since I was eleven. I'm 21 now and I escaped on my own when I turned 17. Those bastards…" Shikamaru laughed in almost a ticked way. "They couldn't find me or protect my parents, so fuck them. The mentors took everything away from us. It's only fair that we take something back."

"At the end of the day, from the way you guys talk about them, that sounds like a death wish , Shika."

Shikamaru shrugged. "It's worth it, Sasuke."

Naruto, not liking the gray clouds over all of them, decided to fix that. "Look, none of us are going to die! We're going to dish out some payback and then go live our lives! So everyone just cheer the fuck up and get your heads in the game."

Sasuke sighed, chucking that up to a B for barely convincing. All of them were stubborn in his eyes and scared. It was a scar so deep that inflicting another scar on the one responsible seemed to them to be the only way to heal. It made him sad to think about it like that but he'd never be able to convince them otherwise.

"Sigh all you want, Sasuke. You're training starts now!" Naruto held up that fork from last night. "Come here."

 

\:: Like Mentor, Like Student ::/

 **Disclaimer:**   _Spinning Song_ -  _Vocaloid: Rin and Len Kagamine_

" _In the short time we have to play out our lives.  
We get swept off our feet by the calm._

_Remaining with the memories we'll always have.  
Spinning them into two spirals and then they fade away."_

That sweet little song filled the air along with the fog of smoke from cigars. The poor pub area wasn't a pristine area for such a song to be playing, and the busted radio it poured from didn't do it justice.

" _As for me, I will sing the song of the present._  
That's all I can do, be singing and talking.  
I won't remember what happened at that time.  
But it's been engraved in my heart, so let me go."

"Another one!" Jiraiya slammed his pint glass down, near shattering the damn thing and shaking the wooden table littered with all kinds of food.

" _Al a re la ye._  
Al a re la yo.  
Al a re la ya.  
Al a re ya x2."

The song played on again over his demands. Thankfully some poor waitress heard him and so took great care feeling his cup and avoiding his reach. The way they departed in such a hurry, added insult to injury.

"Oi! Did you see that?!"

"Yes, Jiraiya. No one wants to be touched by you unless they're brainwashed. Oh wait, never mind." Obito chuckled, enjoying the annoyed glare he got from his blood pact brother across the table. He grabbed a fry from the basket on the table and took a bite, smirking. "Problem?"

"I knew we'd have fun with just us for once." Orochimaru mumbled playfully, tossing a fry at a spaced out Kakashi. No one was shocked when the man didn't react in the least as it bopped of his forehead and onto his empty plate. "Well, some of us."

"Is there something troubling you besides the obvious, Kakashi?" Obito glanced at the one in question, eating another fry.

"The lead for the last heir, I don't remember you mentioning that they found it or not. So why are we here?" Since Kakashi was looking down at his plate, he missed the sly smile his brothers had around him.

"I'm honestly impressed you 'remembered' we needed that, Kakashi. You sure you're not thinking about Menma?" The eldest leader played a little mind game on his easily directed friend. "Or have you really given up on him?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kakashi played into the bait, thinking grabbing a piece of pizza and putting it on his plate was justifying.

"You going to eat that?" Jiraiya asked through a big bite he took out of chicken leg. "Do you even know what food is anymore?"

Orochimaru kicked the rude man in the shin under the table, getting a wince from the assaulted. "Why don't we help Kakashi instead, hm? Let's talk about what you are feeling. What would make you happy besides Naruto?"

They all waited for his response. He was busy having a brief moment of shock upon hearing that name. His student's real name that he'd spent a good while suppressing. It reminded him of the Uchiha kid's outcry in class that set everything in motion. "My  _student was more loyal than all of them...yet he was swayed by a spoiled, disrespectful, whining, annoying, pathetic, weak, waste of breath, piece of living-_

"Kakashi?" Obito broke him from his raging thoughts.

"Sasuke. I want him alive. I want to be the first thing he sees when he meets us and the last thing he sees when I'm done with him."

"Intense much? You like him now?" Jiraiya teased mid sip of his beer only to choke on it a second later from being startled at how loud and hard Kakashi was laughing.

That went on for a good minute. It came to a close when Kakashi finally grabbed his glass from the center of the table and chugged it down, making his brothers watch him curiously and somewhat concerned.

"Glad I could make you laugh," Jiraiya said nervously in case the other had a more violent response.

"I needed it." With an added sigh, he wiped the corners of his mouth, smiling. "I'm lucky to have you guys."

"You've only had one drink and you're like this?" Obito chuckled and crossed his arms, leaning back against his chair. "No wonder you never really drink with us."

"I drink! I'm just..I don't know. I do miss Menma. No matter how hard I hide it.. that much is apparent. I-"

"Would you like me to fill your cup, Mr. Hatake?" The same blond housekeeper from the hotel was back. His eager gray eyes only focused on one individual at the table likely in hopes of some recognition.

"Hmm? Oh, yes." Kakashi held out his cup, half-assing a smile of gratitude to the waiter whom he clearly didn't notice from a brief glance.

Obito shook his head and decided to intervene. "Hey, aren't you the boy that works at the hotel across the street?"

"Yes, Sir!" The twink blushed and nodded, pouring Kakashi a glass.

"You're not bad looking," Jiraiya said quietly and just as casually as he reached out to grab the waiters ass. He was of course kicked somewhere that had a little more impact this time and so was forced to bring that hand back in and grab a hold of himself, slamming his head against the table. "FUCK!"

"Oh my, are you okay?"

"He's fine. Anyway, I bring it up because," Obito redirected the boy's attention, "my friend here, Kakashi, had mentioned you this morning."

"OH!- I, um, w-why?"

"He just loves your hair." Orochimaru pinched in, adoring the way the young lad was so easy to make blush. "Right, Kakashi?"

"What?" Kakashi`didn't even notice what was going on till his name came up. He looked around at them, eyes landing on the waiter. It took him all of five seconds to realize who he was looking at. His attention then went to his overflowing cup. "I think I'm good."

The poor awe-struck waiter, blushed and apologized. "Oh my! I'm s-so sorry!"

"Well it's alright I can-" Kakashi stumbled, bothered and uncomfortable at the waiter's course of action to clean his hand so strangely and then elsewhere that he was sure was dry. "Ummm.."

Orochimaru edged up out of his seat a little to watch the young waiter go. "Shit, I think I spilled something too."

Obito sat there observing smugly. "He's got potential."

It was then that Kakashi realized what was going on. He quickly stopped the way to eager to please boy with a grab of their wrist. "Thank you, but please leave."

 

\:: When it comes down to it ::/

Sasuke stood on the other side of the table, facing Naruto and holding a fork. He was given the task of figuring out what to do with such a utensil again. He proclaimed stabbing in the chest and such but his old friend was not satisfied. They'd been there a good minute or so like this. Sighing, he placed the silverware on the table and said, "Naruto, I don't know what you want from me."

"I want you to tell me how you would kill someone with that fork."

"I did...didn't I?"

Naruto smiled and gestured to the items laid out. "Do you honestly believe that you could kill anyone with anything on this table?"

"..." Sasuke stayed quiet for a second and rubbed his left shoulder. "I know I have to, but I don't think I can."

"Correct!" The teacher picked up the fork and twirled it between his fingers. "You're not that type of person, Sasuke. I'm going to teach you how to maim. Odds are you're going to end up killing them if you're not careful, so pay attention."

Sasuke straightened to attention, liking this a lot more. "Okay!"

"Good." He sat the fork back on the table and then gestured around. "Pick anything that catches your eye up here."

"Hmm." Sasuke looked around at the odd set off things on the table. There was a bat, basketball, paper clip, trash bag, tea cup, shirt, toilet paper, plastic spoon, book, water bottle, rock, jar of dirt, teddy bear, mirror, nail file, and ect. Yes, many, many odd things to choose from and none of them really that difficult to ponder about. In the end, a coat hanger was his choice of weapon. "The hook could be useful?"

"The hook? Sasuke, the whole thing is useful. It has a fixed bar. Try catching someone's arm in that thing and then bending it in ways no ones body was meant to go. Use the hook to keep it like that by jabbing it into..." Naruto trailed off, seeing how startled the raven was by the description. "Or..Or you could hit them really hard in the arm with it! That'll definitely...um, hurt for a bit."

"It's okay, Naruto." Sasuke placed the hanger back down with a sheepish smile. He picked up the teddy bear next. "I don't think this will really hurt anyone."

"Then why'd you pick it up?"

"To see what you'd come up with. It can't be that bad." It was that smirk on Naruto's face that made Sasuke realize, he fucked up.

"That bear may look like a snow white ball of joy and good times, but in truth he is actually the lead to one's demise! For instance, rip off his big loli pop eyes and use them as makeshift brass knuckles with the cute tie to keep them in place. Guarantee it'll hurt! Should that not work, try its fluffy insides! Are they meant for human consumption? No? Well today it is! Should all else fails, at least you'll die with Mister Snugglesman Flufflesworth the fifth at your side." Naruto smiled triumphantly while his student paled deeper than a ghost.

"What happened to the others before him?!"

The blond then struck a soldier salute like pose, looking as if he was about to cry. "Fallen in battle and avenged."

"..." Sasuke gawked and looked back at the others to see them all shrug.

"This is another reason he's last to teach." Shikamaru whispered with a palm up near his mouth. He therefore received a playful elbow jab for such a comment from the redhead on board. "Ah- what I do?"

"Stop it. You know he's sensitive."

"Really? He's 18 and still remembers that damn bear- OW!"

The student shook his head at the bickering couple, giving his attention back to his teacher who was stuck in what looked like a PTSD moment. "Naruto? Are you alright?"

Naruto snapped out of it just like that. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing." Sasuke placed the bear back down and picked up a trash bag, not wanting to trigger anymore concerning emotions from his old friend. "Suffocation?"

"If you want to kill someone, sure. I would prefer it, for you, as a temporary blinding mechanism to throw them into things and or hit them with something to render them unconscious." That was probably the least disturbing thing that the blond had said thus far.

"Wow, okay! That actually doesn't sound so bad." Sasuke held onto the trash bag, perfectly satisfied with it.

"But trash bags aren't everywhere, Sasuke."

And back to square one they were.

It went on like that for a good thirty minutes and then some. Naruto was enjoying himself and so time kind of got away from him. He expected Shikamaru to intervene at some point but that never happened. He carried on. Random things from the table were picked up, discussed, and put back. The student was starting to understand little by little. They were currently discussing the ends and outs of using dish washing liquid when eventually time was called.

Turns out, they were given an hour and more while Shika and Gaara talked out the basis of the plan.

"You two clean this up and get dressed. Hoodies, jeans, and black running shoes. It should be in your dresser drawers. After that, meet us back in the dining area." Shikamaru gave his orders and a wave of his hand, heading back down with the other three. "Oh, and good job Sasuke. Honestly, the last thing on mind to do with a shoelace would be to blind someone like a whip."

Sasuke nodded, feeling embarrassed and unsure if that was a compliment or not.

"I knew you'd do great!" Naruto chuckled, putting an arm around his buddy who blushed automatically. "Let's keep it going!"

 

\:: The Rundown::/

"Where the hell are they?" Shikamaru sat at the booth, tapping his fingers against the surface. "All I said was to clean up and then get dressed. How hard can that be?!"

"Give them a break. Naruto's probably briefing Sasuke on what's to come," Gaara said, simultaneously combing Kiba's unruly brown hair in a chair outside the booth.

"Or they're getting dressed together led to something more?"

"Kiba, hush." Gaara snickered, seeing Shika was definitely not amused.

"Whatever they're doing, they've got five seconds before I drag them out." Thankfully Shikamaru didn't have to do such a thing.

The two tardy boy's finally arrived with a cheerful atmosphere about themselves.

"Sorry we're late. Sasuke wanted to take a bath for some reason." Naruto outed his old friend and received a nice little shove for it. " Haha! He's not taking that necklace off either."

"SO! I don't like putting on new clothes and not bathing before hand! It's just weird to me. Also, I tucked it in my hoodie so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Uhuh, uhuh. You're weird." They joked with each other all the way to their spots in the booth, not noticing Shika's glare until they heard him speak.

"Glad you guys didn't get lost."

"How could we get lost on this small ass boa-Erhm!" Naruto coughed when he saw Gaara shoot him that 'cut the crap' look again. "Sorry."

"I'm sorry too, Shikamaru." Sasuke half smiled dipping his head a bit.

"Whatever, look, we're going back in land as we've discussed. It won't take long. When we get there, we'll get in the SUV and make our way back to the urban area by the borders of a nearby shanty town. They're staying at an inn that's kind of in between, according to Naruto. Once there, we'll survey and make alterations to the plan if needed. For now, you and Naruto are in charge of securing the key. I, Gaara, and Kiba, will be surveillance." Shikamaru awaited the Uchiha's response, sort of getting a kick out of how startled he looked.

"Me? I thought you guys wanted me to stay back!"

"Only in the likely hood our mentors show up. As far as we know from what Naruto told us yesterday, they should be out celebrating and won't be back for quite some time. Don't worry, we'll check first. We think this will be a very good test run for you."

"We?!"

Gaara raised a free hand fleetingly. "It's easy, Sasuke. There's no real danger, assuming they're not there."

"Okay.." Sasuke shifted uneasily and nodded. "I'm not worried about me getting hurt. I' don't want to mess this up this for you guys!"

"You won't." Naruto placed a hand on the nervous raven's shoulder. "I'm with you, bud."

"We'll be with you too through walkie-talkie!" Kiba held up a talkie he was working on from the floor, enjoying his hair combed meanwhile and the pleasant strawberry cent coming from Sasuke. He didn't dare mention that out loud out of fear of the blond taking it the wrong way. "Just call when you're in trouble and we'll be there. Count to five if that helps!"

Sasuke felt somewhat safe in knowing this. "Alright, I'll do it."

"Then it's settled. Sasuke and Naruto will get the key and the rest of us will be on standby. That's the plan for now. Everyone follow?" Shikamaru received nods all around as confirmation. "Good. Sasuke, you have full access to the story after this mission as we agreed last morning."

"Oh yeah," Sasuke thought a loud, remembering that bit. "Thanks!"

"Don't thank me yet. This is only the beginning. This is also our last day at sea, mission wise unfortunately. So, get ready for long car rides and cramped hotel rooms. Also, if things get really bad, you are the first to be protected and removed from the situation. Meaning, we will send your ass home as soon as possible either awake or unconscious. Do you understand?" Shikamaru was dead serious throughout the whole statement.

"Do you think this lug would let you?" Sasuke joked only to see his buddy wasn't going along with it in the least.

"Actually Sasuke, I think Naruto would agree with this course of action," Gaara gave his opinion, sorting the last barely tangled parts of Kiba's hair.

"Really?"

The blond nodded solemnly. "Yes."

"Home come?"

"Because if they catch you, they will not kill you, Sasuke. Death will be a release compared to what they will do to you when they're not monologuing." Naruto was now the serious one, holding the raven's hand closest to him. "I...We can't... We will not let that happen, right guys?!"

"Right."

If Sasuke didn't feel like he belonged before, he sure felt like he did due to that proclamation in unison. He was 100% sure that he'd have to be unconscious in order to be kicked out. "O-Okay then."

"Perfect. Meeting is adjourned or whatever for now. Everyone go get packed! We'll be arriving on shore soon." Shikamaru dismissed the group with a pretend gavel smash that tickled their little group all together.

 

\:: Here we go again ::/

Kakashi still couldn't believe his brothers had tried to set him up with some weird housekeeper slut. He sat there with his arms crossed in the sauna, refusing to talk to them. His alcoholic induced childish behavior did not go unnoticed.

"Kakashi? Come on, the lad wasn't even that bad looking." Obito was laid out on his back, enjoying the dry heat, hands behind his head.

"He wanted you too."

"What do you know about wanting anything, Orochi?" Jiraiya hated saunas...full of men that is. He grumbled back and slumped against the wall on the bench. "This place sucks so much dick and not the clean kind."

"The clean kind?" Orochimaru glanced at him, not sure how to take that.

"I don't fucking know!" He threw his hands up, sweat getting to him. "This is gross!"

"You'd think Kakashi would be enjoying your misery, Jiraiya."

"Bite me, Obito!"

Kakashi did his best to tune them out. He ended up laughing when Jiraiya said that Obito looked like he needed 'life alert' the way he was laying. "No he does not."

"Yes he does! Just imagine Obi like, 'Oooh dear, I've fallen in a sauna and I can't get up! Make sure you send a redhead, sunny boy!' And then he starts smacking his dry ass lips, sounding like he aint got no teeth." Jiraiya milked it for all its worth, sort of happy to see Kakashi finally enjoying himself.

Obito shook his head, chuckling and flipping off Jiraiya across from him. "You're so full of shit."

"Whatever you say, old bat."

"We look good for our age at least," Orochimaru said offhandedly, enjoying the dry heat as much as Obito.

"True. True on my part at least." Jiraiya took in a deep breath, not sure if he could stay there another minute. "Don't know how long that'll be for long."

Kakashi motioned to the door. "Then go. What's keeping you?"

"I'll be bored."

"Oh my fuckin-Are you serious?" Obito sat up, a slight creak in the bench following.

"More importantly, Obi, was that your back just now?"

Needless to say they didn't stay after that on their own. No, they got kicked out for 'play fighting'...naked...up and down the spa area.


	16. Phase 1 of 3

\:: On The Road Again ::/

Once back on land, Sasuke got a real good look at where they were. The area wasn't at a dock or a bay. It must have been some random lake side that wasn't a common visiting place. The tunnel they came out of was there too. Up the bank on land in a grass field, he saw a red SUV he assumed was their ride. It looked roomy enough.

"How long will it take us to get there?" Sasuke walked back to the boat to help unload and carry things over.

Shikamaru shrugged, handing a bag down to Kiba. "I'd say an hour or two. No more than that. What's your guess, Gaara?"

Gaara was currently making his way over to the car with a few hand fulls of their luggage already. He spun around to walk backwards for a second, a hand out and saying, "An hour and forty minutes tops."

"Don't worry, Sasuke. I've got so many movies on my tablet! Oh! Oh! We can play games too!" Kiba handed off two of the travel bags to Sasuke cheerfully.

"You two do that! I'll be taking a nap so keep it down. Wake me up when we get there." Naruto wanted to save his strength and focus for the upcoming job. He grabbed the rest of the bags they'd stacked for transportation and made his way off down the ramp with Shikamaru behind him.

"My, my, are you actually trying to perform at pique." Shikamaru teased, dodging a side poke from the blond. "Gotta be quicker than that."

"Son of a-" Naruto tried and tried again for a good minute. He only succeeded when they finally came to a stop at the open car trunk. "Ha, I win!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, letting the blond have that discount victory. "You got me."

"Damn right."

"Why don't you guys use that energy to go ahead and put your bags in the trunk? Sasuke and Kiba already beat you two." Gaara tossed Shikamaru the keys, having already put away his share too. "Since you started it, you're driving."

Naruto looked up through the back window to see Kiba and Sasuke waving and grinning at him cocky like. "Little bastards."

"Shit..." Shikamaru sighed in defeat, gripping the keys and smiling inside nonetheless at the redhead. 

\:: Car Ride to the Urban Side::/

Minutes later, they were back on the road.

Naruto told no lie. He was dead asleep on the third row, on his back with the hoodie pulled on. He had a knee up and one arm down off the seat. He was resting with no worry about anyone drawing on his face or anything because Gaara was so close by. It was a good sleep so far and he'd only wake for a drink later.

On the second row, Sasuke was enjoying watching movies with Kiba. The sweet dog boy had fallen asleep on his shoulder during it. He half smiled, adjusting a little to get more comfortable and not tangle the headphones they were sharing. The movie playing was called,  _UP_. Kiba really liked the dogs in that one. So much in fact that he had begged Shikamaru and Gaara for a dog till he passed out.

"Is he actually asleep?" Shikamaru kept focused on the road, one second away from blowing his life if he heard another, 'CAN I PLEASE HAVE A PUPPY?!'.

"I believe so," Gaara said as he turned in his seat to look back. He was relieved to see the driver's assumption were correct. "He's out."

"Thank the heavens."

"Why can't he have a dog?" Sasuke asked quietly, holding the tablet still. All he heard for a split second was 'SQUIRREL!' blaring from the headphones. He quickly lowered the volume, biting back an involuntary chuckle.

"That's why he can't have one. He gets distracted by every little animal. We have to pay someone to look after the few animals he has on the boat from time to time. He probably wants a dog because he knows we're not going to let him keep the ship ones for long either. The word, no, sadly doesn't sit well with him sometimes." Shikamaru sighed, stretching his free arm a bit. "Remember when he disappeared for a week, Gaara?"

"Oh my god. I'd never seen you worry so much." Gaara called him out, laughing when the driver groaned. "What? It was cute!"

"I was worried about the boat, not him."

"Sure, act hard all you want. "

"What did he do with the boat?" Sasuke got a certain nostalgia feeling coming back to him again from the way the two up front were acting with each other. It reminded him of the road trips he'd had with his and Naruto's parents.

"Hm? Oh, he tried to be rebellious because we gave him house rules and chores." Gaara leaned back against his seat, thinking about the whole ordeal with a hand near his mouth. "It was the most terrifying thing because he was only 15 when he ran away from the compound. He wasn't use to proper discipline, personal space and...just normal living. It took him a while."

"Oh…" The raven frowned, coming back to reality. "After this is over, you all can get back to that. You guys can even come stay by us if you want!"

"That's nice of you, but we've got other ideas." Shikamaru glanced up in the rear view mirror to see the raven sulk. He cursed his own soft heart and quickly said, "I suppose we could work in some getaway Saturdays."

"Really?!"

"I don't see why not. You're somewhat growing on us after just a day and a quarter." Shika looked over to Gaara to see that he approved despite the sarcasm.

"I don't mind at all either."

"Awesome! We'll have so much fun." Sasuke yawned happily, leaning his head against Kiba's own.

"I know we will." Gaara looked up in the rear view mirror this time to see their last passenger in the back fighting back from drifting off. "We'll wake everyone up when we get there so it's okay to get some rest now if you're drowsy."

"Y-Yay," the raven mumbled, nodding off contently.

\:: What if? ::/

The ride was quiet for a while after that. Sometime later though, when a certain redhead was sure everyone in the back was fast asleep, he decided to voice some ideas he'd been having since that last conversation and others.

"Hey, Shika, what if we didn't do this?" Gaara had an elbow up on the car windowsill, emerald eyes watching the urban scenery pass by outside.

"Didn't do what?" Shikamaru was honestly confused, for that could mean two or three things.

"Go after them." He shifted in his passenger seat, a nervous tick. "We could just skip to that house you were talking about."

That completely caught Shikamaru off guard in a bad way. "Is that a joke?"

Gaara was then reminded about that undying rage. In truth, there was a deep fear inside him upon seeing his mentor again if so. He wasn't the only one. "It was just a thought…."

"Just a- After all they did to us?!"

"Never mind! I'm sorry I brought it up." Gaara bit back, ignoring the hand on his lap, looking out the window. He didn't need to be reminded about it.

"Gaara, I...I want nothing more than to do live out my life with you guys, but I can't do that while they are breathing and- What if the legend isn't a hoax and we did nothing? Do you honestly believe our mentors will ever stop hunting us?"

"Fair, but what if it is a hoax and we lose someone?" That hand removed itself from his thigh.

"We'll all be okay." Shikamaru set himself on making sure that happened even at his own expense. "Don't worry about it."

"You know that's not possible. I'm pretty sure if I jumped ship now, you'd all keep going."

"Give or take." It wasn't funny. Shika saw that a second later. "How about this, if the odds shift at any point, I'll call it off with you."

Gaara perked up and turned in his seat towards the driver. "Define the odds."

"Like say that one of us is taken, shot, stabbed, or crippled. That's it."

"Promise?"

"Promise." Shikamaru chuckled, shaking his head. He'd just have to add that to the list.

"Hey, Nara."

"Hm?" Out of nowhere the driver received a quick and very loving kiss on the cheek that left him in a bliss like shock for a good minute.

"Thank you." Gaara smiled and then opened the glove box to pull out a book to read for the remainder of the drive.

None of them noticed the blond in the back, shocked and disgusted at the scene while he was sneaking a water bottle out from the bag in the trunk. He slowly laid back down, pretending he didn't just see that, holding his water bottle close.  _'It's just a bad dream..'_

Shikamaru cleared his throat and tried to play it off casually, but it only succeeded in making the redhead snicker lightly. "Laugh all you want. I'll get you back."

"We'll see."

\:: The Party Never Ends ::/

Obito stood there on his cell on the sidewalk, towel wrapped around his waist like the rest of the gang. Thankfully, even though they were kicked out of the spa, at least they gave the deranged men a towel and their things back. "Everything clear?"

"What's he doing now?" Jiraiya asked from his laid back position on the concrete, enjoying the cool breeze.

"Probably checking on our rooms." Orochimaru wished he'd never said that aloud, for Kakashi jumped up so quick that he nearly knocked him over. "HEY!"

"Are they there?!" Kakashi reached for the phone only to be dodged with much ease and a perturbed glance.

"Sit the fuck down. No one's there." Obito had never sounded so annoyed in his life. He then proceeded to walk away a good distance out of ear shot.

Kakashi had no choice but to back off when the man got like that. A bit fed up himself, he dropped down to the sidewalk, wincing a second later. "Shit!"

"That was not the smartest thing to do." Jiraiya pointed out the obvious, clearly not caring about whose feathers he ruffled. He had barely visible black eye to prove it.

"Whatever! I only hope Obito finds us some clothes so we don't miss our pick up." Orochimaru massaged his sore left shoulder, long, tar colored hair sort of in the way.

"We're going somewhere else?" Kakashi thought they'd been away long enough.

"Yeah man, we're not leaving till the evening anyway, remember? Midday barely ended sometime ago." It was amusing to Jiraiya how mad that made the obsessive silver haired man.

"This is pointless! He should have sent one of us to do that by ourselves. Why are we wasting time?!" Kakashi was somewhat justifiable though left out of the loop. When no one answered him, he got up only to be pushed back down.

Obito had returned unfortunately soon enough to hear the tantrum. "We are not wasting time. Have some damn faith in us, Kakashi!"

"I do!"

"Then no more questions! Look, I've got a plan. We're going to go to the nearest tailor, buy some new clothes and then we'll make our way downtown to pick up our money. That's our last destination and then we head back to the inn and go home. Everyone comprehend what I just said?" Obito looked around, knowing damn well it didn't matter if they agreed or not.

"Sure, man. I'm sort of done standing on a corner half naked and not making a cent."

Orochimaru shook his head at Jiraiya. "Let's just go."

"Then that leaves the odd man out."

Kakashi didn't even look up at Obito. He merely rolled his eyes and said, "It's not like there's another option."

\:: I want a wrist band ::/

When the beautiful city started to blend into a rather poorly managed area, that was the signal to stop. They found a good off site parking lot first to stash the car for the time being. When the engine died, it was time to get these going.

"Sasuke, Kiba, Naruto, wake up!" Gaara shouted from the front seat, busy opening the glove compartment to return his book and pull out a plastic bag that had a bunch of color coded wristbands in them. As he opened the bag, a little problem came to his attention. "Dang, Shikamaru. We don't have one for Sasuke."

"Do we still have that one we accidentally bought for Neji?"

"Oh yeah." The redhead thunked himself on the forehead, mumbling something else incoherent. He handed Shikamaru his black wristband first.

"Thanks." He quickly slipped it on his right wrist under the hoodie sleeve before getting out of the car. Outside, he straightened himself out and jogged in place for a few seconds to wake his legs up.

The back passenger side door eventually opened and a little drowsy Kiba came bumbling out of it. If it wasn't for Sasuke grabbing the back of his hoodie, he probably would have fallen out.

"Thank you!"

"No prob." Sasuke eased out of the car afterwards, stretching there and looking around. They must of been on the outskirts from his experience in traveling.

"Is Naruto up?" Shikamaru asked, having finished his short warm up.

"Umm," the raven mumbled, turning to look back in the car, "let me check." He climbed in onto the car seat to look and find a blond awake, empty water bottle rolling off to the floor.

Naruto pulled his hood back off his head, hair a mess from the action. He yawned and flexed, catching a certain someone staring at him. Smirking, he stayed in that boastful state. "Like what you see?"

Beet red, Sasuke rolled his eyes and left the car as the trunk was opened. "The idiot is awake."

"I heard." Nara was at the back of the SUV with Kiba at his side, helping him unload two bags.

"You know you guys love me."

"Of course! Now come here and get your wristband." Gaara came around the car to the Uchiha first. "Here's yours."

Sasuke accepted the purple band, looking at it at lost. "What's this for?"

"It's something we do on missions so we don't get lost from each other. Dressing alike is part of it too," Naruto informed as he jumped down out of the car, catching his wristband that was tossed his way. Whatever he saw before in the car was like a bad dream now that he would believe was so for a while.

"We dress alike to create confusion. These color coded bands is so we know whose who. We likely won't have that issue since this is just a retrieval mission. It's better to be safe than sorry so we over prepare. Put it on your right wrist under the hoodie." Gaara held up his own, pulling his sleeve back to show his red one. "Should this fail, just pull the hoodie off their head if you're that unsure."

"Oh, okay." Sasuke went along with it, slipping the band on.

"Here's everyone's holsters. Note the weapons are already in place." Shikamaru came back around with a hand filled with belt holsters and the other with sheath straps. "Kiba should have the walkies ready in a bit. Do you know how to use one, Sasuke"

"It's almost like a phone but no group chat?"

"Close enough." Shika proceeded with handing everyone one of each, placing Kiba's set on the ground next to him so he could get his on. "Alright, so, belt first."

Sasuke figured the smart ass was talking to no one else but him. Feeling like a child, he followed along. He got the belt on first and sheath straps second under his pants leg. The gun felt heavy on his waist and the leg sheath was only a little troublesome against his skin.

"Good job."

Appraisal only made him feel handicapped more, but he knew it wasn't meant to, so he smiled and said, "Thanks, Shika."

Shikamaru gave him a thumbs up before calling Kiba, "You done yet? Your stuff is here beside me."

"Almooostttt- Got it!" Kiba scooped up the five talkies and closed the trunk back after tossing the empty bags back in. "Channel one is Gaara! Shika, you're two. I'm three. Naruto is four, and Sasuke is five."

"Perfect! Now, on your belt should be a place for it to go. It's small so it shouldn't bulge to much under the hoodie."

Sasuke nodded Shika's way and kindly accepted his personal talkie when Kiba handed him his. He hooked it his left side opposite the gun and let his hoodie fall back down. Nothing was noticeable at all so the man was right. On the bad side, there was a real gun and knife on his body that was reminding him what exactly was going on.

"You look a little paler. You should feel like a bad-ass!" Naruto came over and wrapped an arm around the ravens shoulder.

"I honestly feel a little sick, but a happy kind of nerve wracking kind of thrilled kind of scared-"

"To late for all that, Sasuke. If you're going to stay, you're going to put in the work."

"Shika's right. This should be easy like we discussed though, so relax." Gaara played the nice role, succeeding a bit in calming the raven down.

"You've got all of us, even Kibbles." Naruto snickered when Kiba made a V shape with two fingers and then aimed them back and forth between them at eye level.

"Naruto's right too…. Damn that was unsettling." Shikamaru cringed and shook it off, making all but the one insulted laugh.

"Very funny." Naruto huffed and held onto Sasuke more, involuntarily. "Don't you need to go over why we're so far from the targeted area, genius."

"That's because driving a car like that in there will draw suspicion. We're walking from here on out. It's not far so we won't burn that much energy. Also, it gives us time to make sure we have everything one last time. So, weapons, check?" Shikamaru waited, hands behind his back as everyone sounded off.

"Check."

"Check."

"Check."

"Wait!" Kiba found his equipment on the ground and quickly went to putting them on. "Check!"

"Right side wrist bands?" Nara held up his right and pulled down the sleeve. He looked around as everyone else did the same and nodded. "Good."

"Woo!" Naruto cheered, startling his shy companion.

"You're really excited, huh?" Sasuke wasn't sure if that was a good thing or another caution light.

"This is our first mission together! Yes, I can't wait!"

That made Sasuke more than happy inside. It almost took away his fear...almost.

"Quiet, we're not done." Shikamaru snapped his fingers. "Naruto, you're the map. Correct?"

"Aye aye, Captain."

"You also have the key to the hotel room?"

"It's in my book bag, Captain."

Shikamaru took a deep breath, wanting the teen to be more serious but understanding that it would be a cold day in hell before that happened. "Where is your book bag?"

"In the car, Capta-Oh no!" It all came flooding back to him from the moment he parked right beside the house to said home blowing up. No ones face can spell the words 'I fucked up'. Naruto had it plastered in spirit at least.

"Well?" Shikamaru waited, patience a virtue that he will never have.

"I think Naruto is saying his bag was in the car back at the house," Sasuke said the words for his friend, taking some of the responsibility as well, "I didn't take it out of car."

"Huh, well that changes some things but, it's not the end of the world, Nara." Gaara walked over and placed a hand on the Shikamaru's shoulder.

"I know, I know. I'm cool! They'll just have to pick the lock or go through the window." Shikamaru clasped his hands together, signifying he was done already. "Tough shit. Let's go."

\:: Ready, Set, G-G-Go ::/

As they walked further and further in, the city started to turn into a bad hybrid of shambles with decaying decency. The inhabitants looked and dressed the part. Some people wore dingy shirts and or hoodies with pants or shorts. Some looked happy and some looked ready to take everything you had.

Sasuke stuck close to Naruto, holding his right arm.

"Hey, you okay there bud?" Naruto asked in a caring manner, vacant hand being tucked in his front hoodie pocket.

"I'm nervous."

"That's fair enough." He nodded, thinking of ways to cheer him up. "It's going to be alright. Hey, I should of told you thanks a while ago. I was terrified he'd kick me off the mission and put Kiba in my place."

"You got my name right!" Kiba jumped on the blond's back, laughing at how they freaked out.

"Get off! Get off! Get off!" Naruto struggled to pull the childish teen off and over him.

By Sasuke being forced to detach from the blond, he was able to observe their ridiculousness at a safe distance. "Aren't we supposed to be keeping a low profile, guys?"

"We are." Gaara sighed and easily separated the two, pulling them both by their ear afterwards. "I guess we'll just have to walk the rest of the way like this."

"Aaahh, Gaara!" Kiba's ears were very sensitive in good and bad ways. This was bad.

"Ow-Ow-Ow!" Naruto winced, forced to endure and keep up with the gingers pace.

Sasuke thought back to when he got into fights with his brother. His mother would come and do the same thing till they got along. He rubbed at an  ear, feeling their pain.

"You guys think my temper is bad. He results to physical violence when he's had enough," Shikamaru said offhandedly, passing the raven on his left.

"Do I hear you complaining, Nara?" Gaara asked aloud above the whimpering teens.

"No, no, not at all. Admiring actually."

"Hmph."

Sasuke shook his head at them, catching up to Shika. Something about the place was making him feel uncomfortable. It could be the poor establishments they passed that ranged from broken windows to loosely hanging signs. Grumpy store owners silently screamed go away by their facial expressions alone from with inside their barely lit buildings. Or, was it the shady pedestrians they had the displeasure to bump into from time to time. He moved to grab a hold of his necklace, only to side against it. He'd already looked silly enough clinging onto Naruto. His visible discomfort grew the more he tried to figure out what to do.

"You know he's the only person in the world who scares me." Shikamaru whispered with a hand up over his mouth to the raven, attempting to be nice and distract the teen.

"Gaara?" He whispered back curiously, half smiling at how funny and odd that was.

"Mhm! Ever since I first met him at the compound I-You know what? Never mind. That's a decent campfire story."

"What?! But what if I want to know now?"

Shikamaru shrugged with a slight smile, his plan succeeding. He then patted the raven on the head. "That's too bad."

"..." Sasuke sort of blushed, for he took the pats as a sign that he was starting to be accepted a lot more. It would be crazy to say that he didn't like making new friends. Though they came attached to Naruto, they weren't that bad at all. He felt a true sense of security with them from their unwavering confidence alone, and so, his timid state began to break down.


	17. Phase 2 of 3

\:: Money, Money, Money ::/

Obito came through on his word and provided them all with new and expensive suits. Afterwards they set their sights deeper into town towards an abandoned shipping container depot that had one disheveled warehouse just before the entrance. No asphalt graced the tires. Only dirt and mud stretched on for miles.

The four bastards arrived in their stolen, worn down, faded taxi, parking next to the large wooden building.

Inside said fort were a group of impoverished gentlemen ready to make a fair exchange. They were trading the minuscule amount of money they had for random supplies they couldn't acquire around there dying town. How they went about doing this on a daily basis was not as shady as the men they were bargaining with.

They older man speaking for the deal in a stretched, stained, white tank and shorts and no shoes, waited in the center beside one box crate. His little messy dressed gang behind him prepped their weapons in case something went down. All was quiet until those big, brown front doors finally opened and let out a long squeaky shutter.

In walked the guy the deal was struck with, and nothing else.

"Morning, gentleman!" Obito threw a hand up to his fedora to tilt it, the other enabling his cane to help him walk/fool his acquaintances of his wealth stature. "How are you all doing tod-"

"Where's our supplies?" Weapons held together by tape were drawn instantly. Their target, not all phased.

"Right to business then? Alright, well I have everything in the car. I only wanted to make sure you were here and had what I asked. That's all." Obito raised his hands up in defense, voice ever so convincingly concerned.

The one speaking for the unfortunate group, tapped the barrel of his assault rifle lightly against the crate, saying, "Here."

"Perfect! I'll go bring the car around." He departed with his left arm behind his back and a carefree walk, keeping a mental note of everybody in that room.

The men and a half remaining in the warehouse, waited a good bit in a false light of security. Minutes later all they heard was, "Come and get it."

None of them had any time whatsoever to comprehend those words, for hell was delivered to them in the form of lead. Their screams were masked by the gunfire and the silence was broken a minute from bodies hitting the floor. Some died with utter shock on their faces while others displayed blanks. The bullet holes coming in each of the sides of the warehouse lit the whole scene up with polka dots of sunlight and splintered off pieces from the building material.

Obito re-entered the warehouse, carrying this bored and high class temperament.

"Hello?" He asked aloud rhetorically, browsing among the blood bath and sidestepping pools of it that started to build. Once at the crate, he used his cane to push off the top lid. Inside were barely decent stacks of cash in plastic. Two passable ones were an arm length at most. The remaining three were smaller hand stacks. "Useless."

"Did we get them all?" Jiraiya came around with his tommy gun propped against his suave jacketed shoulder, whistling when he saw it for himself. "Never mind."

"You guys missed one actually. There was a shorter man over there by those barrels." Obito pointed in the direction of what he described, never truly taking his eyes off the money inside the crate, counting again.

Jiraiya grumbled something about 'next time' and 'do it yourself', but it stayed as such. He walked over to the barrels, hearing a scurry that made him take it slow. "Hey there buddy. We're not going to hurt you!"

Obito rolled his eyes to how pitiful at sounding friendly the pervert was. "Will you hurry u-"

POW! Off went a another shot.

Actually startled, Obito slowly looked up from the crate and over to the crazy fool with a gun

Jiraiya shared a look back at him, clueless. "What? I found him. Wasn't a short man though."

\:: He Want To Protec ::/

On a more positive note, the boys on a mission had made it to their target destination. The chipped, blue inn was pretty big and clearly on the verge of toppling down in a few years. Outside around the corner, Naruto, Sasuke, and Kiba, both waited on Gaara and Shikamaru to come back from their surveillance run.

"How many people do you think they have guarding the rooms?" Kiba made conversation, leaning against a nearby fence and kicking a rock over to the blond.

Naruto sent it to Sasuke, thinking about that question. "I don't know."

"You think they'll have guns?"

"We have guns?" Uzumaki crossed his arms and looked at his comrade as if he'd lost his mind. "You alright?"

"Mhm."

"You sure?" Sasuke kicked the rock back to Kiba, hands in his hoodie pockets.

"I'm good! Really, I am. I just...if you don't want to go, Sasuke, I can." The pupper teen had grown rather fond of the Uchiha and didn't want to see him get hurt. Attachment was something very easy for him to come by.

"Kiba I'll b-"

"He'll be fine. I've got this." Naruto took the words out of the raven's mouth, somewhat.

"You mean he's got this."

"Yeah, yeah. Give me one of those girly ass clips in your hair." In truth, Naruto was just as worried and hadn't really planned on letting Sasuke do much of anything but watch. Reason being because the simplest situations often go south rather quickly. When he received the hair clip, he put it in his front pocket.

Poor Sasuke was starting to feel like a burden until he saw that brief moment of concern on his old friends face and then on Kiba's. He wasn't the problem, the task was. "Guys, it's okay."

"Mhm." Naruto and Kiba responded in unison unintentionally, not even noticing.

A good five minutes later rolled by, bringing Shikamaru and Gaara back in a jog.

"Coast is clear around the hotel," Shikamaru said, a tad out of breath since they had jogged everywhere to keep up the appearance they were working out.

Gaara gestured up to the inn. "There is one problem. They don't have anyone guarding the outside of their rooms, so there must be somebody inside. Naruto?"

Naruto shrugged. "I can't think of anyone Kakashi would let in the hotel room besides me...He doesn't let me in his room at the new compound though."

"Are you positive no one in this one then?"

"More than positive, Captain."

"Okay, then you two head on up and we'll be out here. The hotel doesn't ask questions because there's so many people going in and out 'visiting' people. So you shouldn't have any problem getting past the front desk if you play by that. Call any one of us if there's a issue and we'll send someone up, copy?" Shikamaru looked primarily at Sasuke.

"Copy." Sasuke nodded and half smiled. Before he could walk over to Naruto, he was pulled into a hug by Gaara, spontaneously.

"Be safe."

Can you feel the love? Sasuke felt it and so hugged the ginger back tightly, nodding again against a shoulder this time. Soon he was delivered twice the love when Kiba hugged him from behind. 'Oh boy,' he thought to himself. He could sense his old friend's agitation.

"We don't have time for this!" Naruto grabbed the raven's hand and pulled him out of the embrace only to be stopped by the smart ass who caught Sasuke next by the shoulder, spinning him back. "What now?!"

"Put on your hood." Shikamaru raised a brow at the blond like how could you forget that. He then flipped the Uchiha's hood for him and held it as he said, "You're going to get a key, not die. Keep that in mind or I'll haunt your ghost."

Sasuke's flustered state increased and so he couldn't speak. He could only nod...a lot.

"My bad." Naruto chuckled, flipping his hoodie on. He went back to pulling Sasuke along up to the hotel. "We'll be back in no time."

"Good luck!" Shikamaru called out within earshot, demonstrating worry when he crossed his arms.

"Do you care about them or our equipment their carrying?"

"Gaara." Shika glanced at the eldest. "Zip it."

"Hm?" Gaara put both hands behind his back and looked elsewhere as if he hadn't said a word.

\:: GET THE KEY ::/

The inn was as rough inside as it was outside. Getting past the barely managed front desk proved easier said than done. It was likely due to the fact that they were dressed like their comrades that had previously been in there so the attendant must have thought they were coming back for another lap.

Casually, they made their way up the withered, sandy carpeted stairway to the returning elevators. After it dinged and opened up, they slipped on inside. Naruto pressed the button for level five. The music inside wasn't that bad because there was none. The silence wasn't eerie either thanks to the blond already working on a makeshift tool.

Sasuke watched the teen next to him pull out Kiba's hair clip and start to bend it to his will. "What are you doing?"

"We gotta break into the room, remember? I can't kick it down since their all staying next to each other." Naruto bit down on the clip and then looked it over. "I'm sure Sakura and Neji are here."

"What about the other girl that helped us last time?"

"Likely being punished still...hopefully." He refused to believe they'd kill her for something like that. Depending on what she was experiencing, she'd probably wish for it. This fretting mind of his made him worry way to much. "You know what, when we get there, we'll look for Hinata too."

"I'm sorry?" Sasuke didn't have anything against the girl, but he did have an issue with testing their luck. Unfortunately, he knew that determined look on his blond's face to well. He thought about calling Shikamaru right then. He opted to discouraging Naruto first. "Do you think she's even here?"

"Yes! Where exactly, is the problem. We'll look for her after we get the key."

Nope. There was no changing his mind whatsoever. That elevator finally dinged again and jerked rather violently when they arrived at the fifth floor.

Sasuke considered taking the stairs next time. Shaking it off, he followed his old friend down an unclean hallway, noticing the room number plates hanging off the walls and some missing entirely. "How is this place still up?"

"Because of the person who wants it up. A lot of private things happen here." Naruto stopped at corner. "Hold."

Sasuke waited, observing Naruto peak around.

"From here on we have to whisper because their rooms aren't far apart, roger?"

"Roger, boss." He went ahead and started whispering, quietly tailing behind the blond.

A good way down past the many burgundy doors, they finally arrived at room number 2319.

Naruto took a knee in front of the door and pulled out his out his knife from under his pants leg. He used it along with the hairpin to pick the lock. "Keep a lookout."

"Okay." Sasuke uttered back quietly with a lift of his shoulders because they hadn't really ran into anyone on this floor. It sounded and looked pretty dead compared to the lobby. He surveyed around anyway, relaxing a good bit from the silence. 'This isn't so bad.' This false sense of security led him to believe Naruto had succeeded in unlocking the door when he heard a click. "Cool, you got it!"

Naruto froze, knowing damn well that wasn't him. He looked back behind him, moving Sasuke aside at the hip to see the handle of the door across from them wiggle. A groggy voice came from the other side. Panicking being a benefit for once, he quickly found the right spot and unlocked the door, putting his knife back up afterwards. He used the same urgent-ness to get inside and pull Sasuke in with him, easing the door back closed and locking it.

The irking noise of a door opening was all he could hear besides his own heart beat. And then, relief was given in the form of the repetitive sound of said door closing. He let out a held breath slowly and then turned to Sasuke to shake the hell out of him for not paying attention. The raven teen was distracted though. Which led Naruto to put a pause on the accusation and follow those onyx eyes over to a heavy blood stained window sill.

Since the room had a mini hall going in, they were covered and so couldn't see who else was there. For a minute they stayed like that, staring at the window and mainly listening for any sounds other than the wind coming in. Whoever was there must have heard the door, so Naruto took caution and moved Sasuke behind him. He then un-velcroed his holster slowly and pulled out his gun, pressing his back against the wall closest that diverged into the room.

The Uchiha did his best at being quiet, covering his mouth and watching his friend peak around the corner steadily. Whatever the blond saw must have been awful or terrifying because his friend dropped the gun and ran into the room. Instinctively, he followed Naruto and came upon a rather tragic site.

That young plum girl from before was lying laterally on the king sized bed, naked, beaten, bleeding, and yet smiling with her arms wrapped around herself. "Naruto."

Naruto was at her side in a heartbeat, grabbing a blanket from the closet to cover her with. "What the hell did they do to you?!" He did his best to keep his voice down as he tucked the sheet around her, but anger was nothing short a luxury at this point. "Why did-"

"I see you found out the truth then," Hinata cut in on his rant, not spiteful in the least. "I'm so glad."

Naruto withheld his emotions and hugged the poor girl tight. "I'm sorry…We're going to get you out of here!"

"No you're not." She looked over the blond's shoulder, seeing Sasuke. Solemnly she said, "You need to get him out of here."

"Are you crazy?! They're killing you! I can't-"

"I know, Naruto." Hinata pushed herself away from him, sitting up and wincing. "But what use will I be like this?"

"Who did this to you?" Sasuke finally got over the lump in his throat to speak.

"Take a guess." She unwrapped her arms from around herself, revealing two grenades in her hands. "I can promise I'm not going back."

"Hinata." Naruto put his hands over hers, covering the means she thought was her release. "I found my old friends! One of them is a good medic. I'm sure they could help!"

Hinata shook her head. "Why do you think I chose this room?"

"I...I don't know."

"Because it's your room. I want this comfort to be the last thing I feel, not them." Hinata retracted her hands and held the bombs close to her withering body again. "Though...seeing you again is a bonus."

Naruto shook his head in denial and pushed up off the bed, removing his hoodie. "You're coming with us. Sasuke, grab a pair of pants or shorts from that drawer behind you."

The raven did as told fast. He grabbed one pair of blue shorts that had a pulley string on it so it could be tightened to fit her. He turned around and held it up. "This?"

"Sure! Sit it on the bed by her." Naruto had put his zipper-less jacket over the girl meanwhile. In his black tank now, he took a knee again and reached in the drawer nearby for some bandages. "Let me patch you up."

Hinata gave in, seeing it pointless to argue against him. She lifted the hoodie above her belly button to display the deep knife wound to her lower right quadrant.

"Which one of them did this?" He asked in fury as he went to wrapping the bandages around.

"I was given to the new men they hired. There were no limitations."

Naruto paused for a second, shook it off and then kept going, a tad faster. "So this isn't punishment then."

"No."

Sasuke walked over to see if he could help despite the blood everywhere making him queasy. He was honestly surprised she was holding up so well. "W-What can I do?"

"Get the key from in that book safe. Lock code 10-10-01."

He nodded, heading over to the fake book, realizing what that date was. "That's your-"

"Yeah, yeah I know. Get they key and keep watch this time."

Sasuke deserved that, or maybe he didn't. It was up for debate. For the raven that is, he took it as criticism to improve or get lost. He picked up the book, unlocked it, and recovered the key. Carefully he tied it up in his necklace and tucked it in, thinking he'd lose it in his pockets. He then proceeded to keep watch. He stared at the door, listened, and waited. The girls slight whimpers of pain were the only noise.

Suddenly, it happened again.

There returned that clicking sound of a door being unlocked, but it was loud this time due to the fact that it was their door being penetrated.

"Naruto!" Sasuke didn't have to say anything. The blond was up and in front of him with his weapon drawn from the floor.

In strutted Hinata's partner who was taken aback at what she stumbled upon. She straightened out her shiny red dress and looked them up and down, smiling. "Naruto? Is that really you?...Oh my, and little Sawsuki!" She teased, closing the door behind her via a crimson heeled foot.

"Sakura, don't make me-"

"Don't make you what? Shoot me?" She threw up her hands in mock fashion of fear. "Ooohh. By the way, Neji is not happy with you. No sirree. As for you, Sasuke, Sensei Kakashi can't wait to get to know you better."

Naruto moved the raven behind his back more, regaining the crazy pink haired girl's attention. "Leave."

"Oh we are. Our Mentors are on the way back as we speak. I was just about to gather up the suitcases. I think you'll do better though!"

At that, Sasuke slowly reached under his hoodie and held down the talk button on the walkie talkie for as long as he could to the channel it was on.

"- that's why he left me in charge. So when they get here, I'm hoping I might win his favor forever now."

"You're delusional!"

"The apple didn't fall to far from the tree some time ago, Naruto." Sakura bit on the nail of her pinky finger out of the corner of her mouth. "Or do you think your sins are washed away because you've taken up the old abandoned crew. Looks to me like you're still stealing and running. Killing is just the endgame."

"Naruto," Sasuke called out, putting a hand on the blond's shoulder, hoping she wasn't getting to him.

"Leave," Naruto ordered one more time, her words making only a dent. "I have faith you'll wake up eventually."

"Boy, I only 'have' to keep you here long enough till they get back. Which won't be hard since you can't kill your family, apparently." Sakura grinned, leaning back against the door.

Sasuke released the talk switch, sure that was enough information.

"Is that what you really think?!" Hinata walked around the corner with a stumble, hoodie covering her up pretty good, including her hands. Blood stained through regardless, a line now running down her right thigh as well. The look of confusion on her partner's face was priceless. "Why are you so surprised? This is how are family works."

\:: Run-Run ::/

Everything coming through on Sasuke's walkie was received. The problem was that the girl was wrong. Their mentors weren't on the way, they were already there and heading inside amidst conversation.

A split decision was then made.

"I'll make a distraction. You and Kiba go get them!" Shikamaru donned his hoodie and ran out from their hidden position around the corner, giving them no chance to talk him out of it.

"Wait!" Gaara moved to stop him, but was pulled back by Kiba.

"He told us to-"

"I don't care!"

Shikamaru could hear them from a mile away and so did the mentors. He shoved through the older men, drawing their eyes.

"Watch where your fucking going, kid!" Jiraiya snapped, regaining his balance with the duffel bag of cash on arm.

At the top of the stairs to the inn, Nara stopped and turned around, hands in his pockets. "Make me, you old rat."

"What did you say?!" Jiraiya dropped the money bag, ready to teach the brat a lesson.

Obito held him back with a cane out. "Did you not hear what he just called you?"

"Of course I did! He just called me a...a...You! You little shit!"

Obito smirked and brought the cane back down in front of him, head tilted to the side. "What are you distracting us from, Moriku?"

"Might I add, you've gotten taller. It suits you." Orochimaru motioned with a hand out, impressed with his student who wasn't much to look at in his eyes. "I'm hoping you didn't cut your hair though!"

'Disgusting.' Shikamaru lied. There was more than one person on earth that scared him. He kept those emotions under wraps, for he knew Obito would make that assumption and his old teacher would be creepy. Despite who his mentor was, Obito's manipulative teachings were the only ones he thought valuable and implemented to his advantage. He only said one name, "Naruto."

"Menma's here?!"

Bingo.

Like a moth to a flame, Kakashi ran at Shikamaru, ignoring Obito's orders.

"Wait!" Obito moved to go after him, giving Jiraiya and Orochimaru a different objective. "You two go find out what that was over around the building! I'll get this idiot!"

Before the real chase could begin, every single person outside that hotel paused at the thundering BOOM ringing from the building, shaking the establishment and sending what looked like debris from the side. Panic and screams came from every which place around the building and in.

'What the fuck are you kids up to?' Obito glared at the sprint ready teen, feeling the smugness underneath that hoodie. He knew he was going to have to find out for himself just as he knew Kakashi was going to break out and chase down their old student right about...now.

\:: No Bad Deed ::/

That explosion left a gaping hole in the doorway of the room 2319 blessed by the poor design. It also alerted neighboring occupants. One such neighbor, being Neji, quickly ran out of his mentor's room. He came upon scattered rubble and dust. In the thick of it all was a pair of blank emerald eyes and one purple eye staring back at him.

"Sa-" he coughed at first because of the dust, coming closer and waving at the foggy air with his only free hand. The other arm was free from it's cast, but still harbored some issues. "Sakura! Hinata?!" He called out again.

When he stepped closer, he understood why no one was responding. He dropped down to his knees in mourning and held Sakura's limp hand. His cousin next to her, lay prone and missing more than one eye. Looking around at the devastation, blood and gore, he started to well up with nothing but rage. When the dust settled a bit, he got a good look at his mutilated comrade's bodies. He held her hand tighter, making a vow of vengeance with that grip. First, he had to find out who exactly to implement this on.

He looked to the room that no longer had a doorway and found his first odd clue. There was more blood in there typically, but the window straight ahead was broken in an odd shape. Upon inspection, he peered outside to see the building next to it had a whole in the roof it didn't have the day before.

\:: And Now He Can't Attac ::/

All Sasuke could remember was Hinata throwing the grenades and then attacking Sakura who stood there in befuddlement. He heard Naruto scream something and...blackout. When he finally awoke after a while from what he thought was a bad dream, it was to an immense amount of pain in his back, arms, legs, ect. Everything hurt. Like breathing for example. The groggy air didn't help, nor did the sunlight bearing down on his eyes either. He shielded the best he could, feeling some warm liquid drop on his face. His vision went from blurry to somewhat clear allowing him to see his hands had been cut a little bit.

'Where the- She really just…Naruto!" Groaning inside and out, he rolled over on his stomach, needing some pressure off his back. "N-Naruto!" He screamed into the ceramic floors, batting his eyes and coughing at the dust cloud he created. He shook his head and looked around, stopping at his right when he saw the blond next to him. "Naruto!"

There was a fright since Naruto's head was turned away from him. Freaking out, he got over his pain and dragged himself closer to the blond, throwing an arm over their chest to grab a tanned shoulder. He shook the blond only a little, pleading out, "Naruto! Naruto, wake up!"

Emotions took over his weakened state, enabling him to sit up a little and then turn the blond's head his way. He couldn't see those blue eyes because they were closed. He laid his head against his friend's chest, hearing a heartbeat and feeling it rise and fall.

"Thank god." Sasuke calmed down and moved to cupping that whiskered face despite the crimson trail on the left side. "Boss?"

No answer, but he knew he was alive. Relieved like never before, he touched his forehead with Naruto's own and closed his eyes. 'I'm going to get us out of here!' High spirited, he sat fully upright and checked for the key, pleased it was still attached. He then searched the downed teen for any injuries. He found scrapes along Naruto's arms, tares in the tank top, and a decent cut on the blond's head that left a tiny blood trail down past his ear. There was nothing to extreme so that was good.

He took in his surroundings next to figure out exactly where he was. He followed the beam of light they were under up to the gaping hole in the roof. That explained where they came from. Around them though didn't quite explain where they were yet.

They were weird stove like counters around them, metal shelves, quart mop buckets, and trash. On the counters were pots and pans that led him to believe they must have fallen into a small abandoned restaurant. He looked around more for an exit, seeing two doors. One across the stoves and one behind them in the far back with an exit sign above it.

That was hopefully their way out.


	18. Phase 3 of 3

\ _:: Find Them ::/_

Gaara and Kiba ran all the way around the hotel, having heard the orders Obito gave his cohorts. They were ahead by a large margin for many reasons.

One big one being, the cops were showing up.

"Kiba!" The redhead stopped said teen when they made it around the building to the front. "They're not going to risk following us for jail. Do you think you can find Sasuke and Naruto without me? Did you see that window?"

Kiba nodded confidently, time of the essence.

"Good! Go get them! I'll get the car!" Gaara graced him with a benign kiss on the forehead before leaving. "Be safe! Don't go crazy!"

' _Don't go crazy.'_  Those words echoed in his head as he took off in the opposite direction towards where the window blew out from. It led him over the fence to a nearby boarded up restaurant. He sniffed the wooden planked door, looking for that strawberry scent. He couldn't pick it up. Whimpering a little like a lost dog, he headed around to a slightly open window and peeked inside, spotting the left tables and chairs that desperately needed a good cleaning like the checkered floors.

He sniffed briefly again, perking up when he found the sweet smell! Thrilled, he was about to make his way around to check the back door, but he heard footsteps coming his way. He hid himself to the side of the large trash bend against the fence opposite the building. Crouching down, he peered out to witness the individual to be Neji. The young man looked more deranged though, not anymore friendly and evermore a threat. Memories flooded in and flashed countless moments were Kiba had been put in a box because of him...beaten because of him... and starved because of him. His pupils restricted out of such relapse and fear, succumbing to a terrible old habit.

\:: Count to Five ::/

Sasuke managed to stand and stumble over to the exit, twisting the knob to find that it was locked. Groaning out helplessly, he threw his shoulder up against. "AAAH!" He screamed out in pain and slumped to the ground.

Metal Door.

Crying a little, he glanced over at his unconscious friend and gained motivation. He forced himself to find a different path. Over past the counter tops and stoves, he made his way to the double doors. They opened with ease and led him out the dining area. Nearby were more counters and a broken cash register. Ahead he could see another exit. He stumbled over to it and tried again.

Nothing.

"FUCK!" Sasuke let his frustration out in short bursts, tired, hurt, and needing to do something right. As he tried to calm down, he heard a shuffle from outside.

"Is that you, pest?!" Those shuffles then moved quick around to the back.

' _Neji!'_ Fear induced adrenaline that helped him run back to Naruto. Doing so, he tripped over the trash on the checkered tiled floor in the kitchen. He bit back another curse and scurried over to Naruto, grabbing him by the tank top straps and dragging him behind one of the nearby stove counter top rows that faced horizontal to the door. There he crouched down with the blond, peaking over the counter to the door.

The moment he heard a cracking sound, he grabbed at his waist to find his walkie.

It was gone.

He took the one on Naruto and called channel 1, keeping a watch over the back door at the same time.

"Gaara?!" He whispered out in a frantic manner, releasing the PTT button for a response.

He heard nothing accept another crack from the door.

"Shika?!" He cried out again, having switched channels in a panic.

Nothing. Another break.

"Kib-?!" He cut off his voice by his own hand and dropped back down behind the counters when the door to the back was kicked open. He could hear the wind coming in and blowing things around, rattling them. The least pleasant noise was the one of that door slamming. He bunched up, putting the walkie in his pocket, moving to look over his knees for anything to use as a weapon.

A good portion of his training flew out of his head except one...almost.

He had a gun. He quickly went for it in a fumble, never hearing the approaching footsteps due to his own thundering heartbeat. By the time he pulled his gun out, he had one at his head.

"You," Neji sneered, relishing how the raven was shaking. "Put it down and get up."

Sasuke pressed the gun against the teens abdomen, never looking up to their face. "Go away or-" The pressure of the barrel on his head was gone suddenly, taking his voice with it. He looked up to see it switched to a different unconscious target.

"Try me." When he didn't get what he wanted, he snatched the gun from the raven's hands and flung it far to the back door. "Pathetic."

Sasuke was then grabbed by his hoodie, waking him out of his terrified state. He struggled, being dragged out from around the counters just be thrown on his stomach under the sunlight coming in from the hole in the roof. Wincing, he rolled onto his back, looking up at the mad teen over him.

"Because of you I've lost my last brother and now both of my sisters!"

"I-I don't care what you think I did or didn't do." Sasuke was willing to subside his personal fear to do anything to protect the person he was there for. "Leave Naruto out of it!"

"You mean my brother, Menma?"

"He was never your brother! And his name is NARUTO!" That was a little to overzealous. A foot to his chest brought his defying self back to earth.

"You really are annoying as Kakashi says… Hmm, well, I heard you calling someone. Would you like me to tell them you said goodbye?" Neji knelt down, using Sasuke's chest as a footstool. He took the walkie from underneath the raven's hoodie at the waist. In his other hand, he aimed the gun at moderately tearful onyx eyes. "Or would you?"

Sasuke refused him. Biting his lip, he shook his head and tried to pry the other's foot off of him.

"I'll let you count to five."

A light went off somewhere in the raven's mind, remembering what Kiba had told him. Why he honestly assumed that would work, he had no idea. "O-Okay."

Neji held the button down and near the squirming teen.

"F-Five." There was one problem when Sasuke said that.

It echoed. " **F-Five."**

We'll it didn't really echo, but there was a repeat coming from somewhere around them whenever the button was released.

Neji looked around as a sane person would, chucking it up to a weird resonance because of an ineffective device. He nodded for the raven to continue, holding the button again.

"Four."

Release.

" **Four."**

Though Neji had made his decision about the repeat, it came from a different direction unlike before. He stood tall, keeping pressure on the raven's chest. He figured out a way to draw out whoever might be there. He spoke into the device himself this time. "Three."

Release.

" **Three."**

Smirking, he aimed his gun at the direction it came in. The moment he opened his mouth to say something cocky, the walkie in his hand growled out, " _ **Two.**_ " Here again, it was from a totally different direction than what he'd assumed. Swallowing hard, he brushed it off and brought the gun back down to the raven.

"I know you're in here! Come out now or I'll waste this little pest." He looked down at Sasuke to see him just as confused and disturbed as he was. Fed up with the bullshit, he brought the walkie closer to his mouth to scream out the last number. When he got ready to do just that, he caught a pair of ominous, familiar, shining charcoal slitted eyes looking at him sideways from the shadows of the metal shelves nearby.

Needless to say, he knew those eyes of omen. "T-Toriumi?"

Sasuke was confused at the name. He then followed his assaulter's horrified gaze over to the shelves where he himself saw nothing. The moment he blinked to have a better look, something flew over him and onto Neji. It scared the living shit out him because whatever it was didn't stop there. It dragged the screaming teen like a horror movie down past the double doors into the dinning area.

That's all he heard for minutes on end. Horrible, uncontrolled screaming that led him to back up to a wall by the mop bucket and cover his ears, shutting his teared up eyes tight. When he opened those orbs, the doors to the dining area were swinging open back and forth. The screaming had stopped.

Sasuke slowly lowered his hands and listened hard for any movement, not sure if what just happened was real or not since nothing had revealed itself. His eyes drifted around surveying, mostly looking for his gun or a way over to Naruto without drawing attention.

Thinking about his friend, he looked over to the counter where Naruto was stashed behind and there it was.

Up on top of it in the shadows crouched like dog was the culprit. It stared at Sasuke, holding his gaze and making him uncomfortable with those slitted eyes.

"H-Hello?" Sasuke pressed back harder into the crumbly wall when the strange human thing leaped down. His frightened state almost disappeared the moment the figure crawled into the sunlight and revealed it was Kiba, almost. This is said because something was wrong with the once lovable dog boy. He looked almost feral, hoodie stained red. Concerned, more than fearing, he called out the teen. He chose to use the name Neji had used just in case. "T-Tori-"

Kiba growled in such a fierce fashion that it covered the raven's voice. He then stalked forward towards Sasuke, making the situation worse.

' _Why is he acting like this?!'_ He fought within his mind, thinking the teen might actually end up killing him if he didn't do something. But...but the boy was so sweet. Almost clingy too like a child. He looked so helpless at times when Naruto would jump him. So what the hell was this?! Whatever it was. He wanted it to stop. He closed his watery eyes tight again and shouted, "Please, Kiba!"

Like a switch, the teen was back.

"Sasuke!"

That cheerful voice was familiar. The hug he got before he could even re-open his eyes was all the more recognizable. "K-Kiba?!" He couldn't believe it, so he was hesitant to hug him back at first. "Is that really you?"

"Of course it's me!" Kiba gave the worrisome teen a nuzzle. "Who else?"

' _What the fuck…?!'_  Sasuke held onto the sweet boy, not wanting that other side of him to ever come back. EVER. He definitely had to ask Gaara or Shikamaru about whatever that nightmare was.

Kiba broke the hug out of nowhere to sniff the air again. "Naruto?"

"Naruto!" Sasuke got up, remembering his hidden friend which didn't stay hidden for long. The chocolate haired teen found him rather easily.

"We should draw on his face again."

"Kiba."

"I'm joking. I'm joking! He looks okay. How long has he been out?"

Sasuke shrugged, kneeling down next Naruto, weary of Kiba still. "I-I don't know. It's been too long in my opinion."

Kiba etched closer to the passed out teen, not smelling any real heavy amounts of blood. "I'm not a medic, but he's not bleeding out on the surface anywhere at least."

"That's great." Sasuke could breathe normally again, more relieved when Kiba got up to call the others.

"Hey, hey, hey! I found Sasuke and Naruto in the abandoned restaurant next to the inn! Where do you want us to meet you, Gaara?" He talked loud and proud over the walkie, releasing the PTT to get a response.

It came in static-y. " **S-S** _ **ta**_ **y~** **ere y** _ **ou a~! I'll**_ **ma~**   _ **a ~a**_ **y."**

Another shaky explosion went off not soon after that response, catching them by surprise. Good thing it was coming from the hotel. They both looked up, wondering what the heck that was and praying it had nothing to do with them.

\:: Don't You DARE::/

The hotel was in chaos, civilians were hurt, and the police were there to get that mess sorted out. Those with sketchy agenda's needed to get out of there now. The only problem was that no one could reach Shikamaru.

Gaara had arrived at least and helped get Naruto situated in the back seat of the SUV after checking on him. "He should be okay. He's breathing normal and his pulse is fine. Just keep his head elevated."

"Okay." Sasuke nodded, sitting in the back with the blond's head on his lap. "Are you going to get Shikamaru?"

"...He hasn't responded to any of our calls on phone or walkie." The tensed smile the ginger had wasn't something he showed often. "So, yeah. I'm going go get his dumb ass. Pardon my french."

"Pardoned." Sasuke chuckled weakly. "We'll wait for you."

"...No. There's to many cops around." Gaara looked over to Kiba who was playing on the phone in the second row. "Kiba, take them back to the parking lot. I'll meet you all there."

Kiba gave him a nod, busy watching another animal video intently.

"And Sasuke," he said, turning back to the raven, catching the way the scared teen was looking at the one on his phone. "We'll talk about it first chance we get."

Sasuke quit staring, smiling appreciatively. "Thank you."

"Mhm, just don't…" Gaara didn't know what to say without triggering the topic of the conversation. He shook his head, seeing no way to get around it and so repeated, "We'll talk it about it."

Sasuke understood. "Okay."

"Okay... I'll see you guys in a bit! Kiba, get off your phone." He prepared to leave, catching something out of the corner of his eye at the driver side. In that same instance, he withdrew his gun just as quick and fired off a shot that shattered the window.

It was so loud that Sasuke screamed and clutched onto Naruto to cover him. He peeped over his arm to see Kiba gone and Gaara getting out of the car. ' _Oh no!'_ To his surprise, he heard whimpering.

Kiba was on the floor, covering his ears and shaking his head. Granted, he was use to gunshots by now, but only when he was prepared to hear them.

Outside the car, the ginger walked around from the passenger side, gun at his hip. He was confident he hit his target, deafened them, blinded them, something. Assuming they weren't his former mentors. On discovery, he found their missing comrade on the ground in quite an amused shock.

"Shikamaru!" Gaara ran over and helped him up by his shoulders, holding him there to look him over thoroughly. He had a few scratches, bruises, a limp, and blood splatter spots on his chest that clearly wasn't his because there were no entry sights. "You're okay!" He wrapped his arms around the younger man's neck, pulling him down some.

Shikamaru winced, ears ringing from nearly having his head blown off, but loving the attention. He smiled and hugged his lover back, tightly gripping red hair and around their waist. "Missed me that much?"

"Oh get over yourself." Gaara squirmed, not able to get free.

"But I'm over you?" He deserved that light knee to the stomach that made him keel a bit against the car window. "Ngh, sorry."

"Sure, care to explain where your walkie is?"

"I was busy! Couldn't answer it. What's your excuse? I heard Sasuke calling all of us practically!" Shikamaru chuckled tiredly, looking through the window to see the other three were there, two pairs of onyx eyes watching them. "I see he made it..."

"Of course he did! Also, for your information...I was busy too."

"There you have it then. Now why the hell did you shoot at me?"

"You should've warned me!" Gaara was in the right and in the wrong. He had an itchy trigger finger too. He also misunderstood what the clever man was getting at.

"You drew attention to us is all I'm saying. Care to discuss this later?"

"Oh I did not dr-Oh crap I did!" Faded emerald eyes could see the blue and red lights dancing across the fence on the hotel wall, bouncing towards them.

"I think we should go now," Shikamaru said with a pained smirk, holding onto his stomach.

\:: An Eye For An - Another one! ::/

DRIP….DRIp….DRip...Drip...drip. That warm shade of red was back and flowing downward, exiting in droplets off Obito's chin. Since he was stronger, he supported his weaker comrade with an arm under their shoulder and around their waist. They slugged closer to the bus stop as he slipped his phone out with a groan. His expensive tie that had once decorated his neck was now used as a makeshift bandanna around his head in a tilt over his bruised, bleeding left eye. He held up his cell, selecting a contact and making the call. By bringing that phone near his ear, he brushed against the tie and made himself grimace.

The phone rang and rang and rang. All kinds of colorful words were going through his mind about the person not answering the phone. Nothing more vile could be said about the one that took his eye.

" _ **Look what the cat called in!"**_

That voice. He could of swore he called Orochimaru, not…' _Ughhh!'_ Obito groaned. "Where are you guys?"

" _ **Uhh, in the fucking car? The cops have arrived! I repeat, the cops are in the house! I think they're distracted at the moment though. They're aren't many of them either. Did you get Moriku by any chance?"**_

Obito bit back hard enough to draw more crimson from his body to better handle his emotions. He would have had him if not for Kakashi. Choosing not to rant, he said, "He got away. Did you guys have any luck?"

" _ **Heellll no. How many times I gotta say the cops are here?! I will admit, we wore out pretty quick. I'm assuming it was all the damn pampering we did today."**_

"They got lucky is all." He'd never accept the idea that student surpasses the master. "Come pick us up at the bus stop behind the hotel...and bring a damn med-kit."

" _ **What the fuck happened?"**_

"Orochimaru's student brought down half his damn room on us..."

" _ **That ain't too bad. You bastards have had worst."**_

"...We're both missing an eye."

" _ **...HAhAHaHaAh! Ha-How'd you let that happen?!"**_

"Bring the fucking car around, Jiraiya!" Obito shouted out in irritation, dropping Kakashi to the ground near the bench. "You've got one minute or I swear I'll-"

" _ **Alright, alright! I'm on my way. Have you heard anything from Sakura or Neji by any chance?"**_

\:: It's Time ::/

Back at the SUV, our four boys were cruising safely out of the area and back in to the city. There was no stopping anytime soon for they had a long way to go. The most important thing was they were all alive and some were cleaning their wounds. The blond, whom was having another memory sequence, didn't feel a thing.

 **~/./~** _Memory #2: Car Ride With_ _Family_   **~/./~**

 _Naruto was currently in the backseat of another car, watching his and Sasuke's younger self yet again. They had just come back from a park where a lot of things happened. The major one being that little Sasuke had tried to impress the younger blond by going down a hill on a skateboard. The issue was that the raven child had kept his eyes closed and thus, hit a tree right away. Good thing all the child lost was his two front teeth._  'Oh my god, I'm actually going to sing!'  _Naruto chuckled at his own silly, small self._

" _Ooooooohhh! Who lives in a mansion out by the sea?!" Younger Naruto sang out opposite his embarrassed friend, tapping the beat to his Spongebob Squarepants parody on his knees._

_The raven's older brother was up front in the passenger seat, singing along. "Sasuke Uchi-ha!"_

" _Determined but pale and busted his teeth"_

" _Sasuke Uchi-ha!"_

" _If not listening to your best friend is something you do."_

" _Sasuke Uchi-ha!"_

" _Then get on a skateboard and hit a tree too!"_

" _Sasuke Uchi-ha!"_

" _Ready?!" Ten year old Naruto called out again for everyone to join in this time._

_Little Sasuke was to red faced and flustered, so his mother joined in._

" _Sasuke Uchi-ha!"_

" _Sasuke Uchi-ha!"_

" _Sasuke Uchi-ha!"_

" _Sasukkeeeeyyy Uchiii-haaa!" Younger Naruto took hit on home, a hand out to his best friend. Since he couldn't whistle, he finished with, "Dodo dah do best friend do dum!" Jazz hands._

" _Whhhyyyy?!" Little Sasuke face palmed with both hands, laughing into them. "Was that really necessary?!"_

" _Being my friend?"_

" _NO! The song!" He panicked for no reason and saw that when he looked out of the corner of his eye to catch the blond snickering. "That's not funny!"_

" _I know, I know! But now we're twins! Sort of...I still can't feel my foot!" Naruto flung up his right leg, showing off his very artful cast. "I call bulls-"_

" _Language, boys."_

" _Sorry, Mah! I still call fudge on that jungle gym race by the way. You only won because the bars were wet!"_

" _But...it was raining?" Little raven looked at his friend with utter disbelief and amusement. "You said it would make it more challenging!"_

" _Ssshh, I know what I said." Ten year old Naruto put a finger over his buddy's smile. "But, I never said that."_

"Y _ou just said-!"_

" _Aahh, ssshh, ssshhh!" He covered thin lips completely, stretching out the seat belt, both laughing too much at the situation. "You're hearing things."_

" _Mmm, Muhmm!"_

" _You two quit playing and tell me what you want to eat. Your brother wants pizza."_

_The children in the back heard the words eat and pizza. Looking at each other, they nodded in mental agreement. Young Naruto released Sasuke's mouth and turned forward in his seat. In unison they shouted in excitement, "All meat pizza! Pizza planet!"_

_Dreaming Naruto couldn't help but grin at them. The way Mah and Itachi flinched, Sasuke's big smile, and his own innocence showed just how much would of been different. Would he trade his life at the compound for this back? That grin slowly faded from his face and conflicts arose inside._  'Hinata.'  _Remorse and regret came in like a flood. She was gone and all he could carry the guilt._

_The dream then vanished within a blink of an eye._

_He was back free falling again, guessing it was time to go back to reality._

_There were many conclusions he'd made from this big memory. One, this woman wasn't his mother, she was Sasuke's and she was sweet. Two, Mah means Mom away from home. That was a guess. Three, he was a crazy child. Four, Sasuke aims to please a lot. Five, Itachi is best brother but sucks at watching them. Six, Itachi also has a boyfriend. Seven, he doesn't like said boyfriend at all for so many reasons he did and didn't understand. Eight, Sasuke is allergic to apples. Nine, slay all apples. Ten, this his favorite memory so far out of the two he's had. This one included._

'Mah...Itachi...Sasuke...'  _Naruto closed his eyes, keeping their happy image in his mind and forcing out the explosive kind. As a result, he didn't see the emerald glow inches below his jugular notch, but he felt something._

" **So the cycle continues. Even in this life we don't matter when it comes to him."**

 _Naruto's eyes snapped open where he came to see that he was surrounded by three scary looking…..knights._ 'Uhhh…'  _He had no idea what the hell was going on. He looked around and down, finding that green dot._

" **MENMA!"** _The knights shouted at him in a barrage of rage, pissed that they were to late to have their time with him._

 **~/./~**   _End Of Memory #2_ _ **~/./~**_

"WHAT DID I DO?!" Naruto sprouted upright, terror sweating. He hyperventilated as well, looking around to see he was in a car...The red car! His comrade's car...He spun around from his horizontal position to face forward correctly, looking out at those ahead and then to the raven next to him, surprised.

"Naruto!" Sasuke beamed, mid attempt to hug his friend but restrained, not wanting to over crowd him. "Glad you're awake. I see the gem didn't quite work. Sorry!" He smiled with those words in a teasing manner and patted him on the shoulder. "You okay?"

"Naruto?" Gaara turned in his seat at the screaming. He had the key to the compound in hand after the raven had taken it off a few minutes ago to give Naruto the necklace. "Did you have a nightmare?"

The driver glanced at rear view mirror and shook his head. "Good job passing out and leaving the work to the rest of us!"

Kiba peeked over the seats and rolled his eyes before going back to his phone. "So loud, blondy. Go back to sleep."

Naruto ignored everyone, his breathing returning to normal. "Heh, they're not here!"

Sasuke quirked a brow at that. "Who?"

"He must mean our mentors. Don't worry, Naruto. We lost them." Gaara chuckled, turning back in his seat. "So clear that mind and get ready for camping...in a few days! We're going to stop by a store right quick on the way to the hotel."

"Hell yeah we lost them! I even got Kakashi and Obito ba- Ah shit." Shikamaru grumbled the last part, slowing to a stop at a red light and hitting his head on the steering wheel upon remembering the camp out he promised.

"Got them what?" Gaara chuckled some more, seeing the driver distraught. "Oh come on, Nara. It's just a campfire! You've got some time too because we're going to have it at the fairgrounds."

Sasuke turned away from the conversation between the two up front, seeing the kidnappers were not of his friends concern at all. "Naruto? Boss?"


	19. On Our Way

Naruto didn't respond to Sasuke. He was trying to process what he actually saw and heard. Those voices. Those knight looking guys. That green glow. All was emotionally familiar. He touched his chest where he remembered it being and felt something. Panicking, he looked down to see it was a gem, no longer calming. "Why'd you put this on me?"

"I thought it would help you relax. You were moving a lot in your sleep." Sasuke frowned at the Uzumaki teen's hurt tone. "I'm sorry again if it made things worse."

"Huh? No, it's fine!" Naruto tried to lift the situation seeing as though the raven really was beating himself up about it. "I was just having a nightmare so I think your necklace thing woke me up...actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah!" He added a convincing grin and arm around his buddy's neck. "Thanks."

Sasuke smiled, happy to be of service after all. "Then, you're welcome."

"HEY! Separate." Shikamaru eyed them from the rear view mirror.

"Shika, I know damn well you aren't trying to tell me to separate! If I remember correctly, and I do, when I woke up to grab a drink, I saw you two!" Now he was back to normal. Naruto went on, suppressing thoughts, "That's right! Gaara you can try and hide all you want, but you're just as guilty for initiating!"

"I never took my eyes off the road!" Shikamaru gripped the steering wheel, left brow twitching and face slightly red from embarrassment.

"Uhuh, bet your dick kept straight."

Sasuke shrunk back into the seat out of view to cover his mouth from laughing out loud. He blushed a little more when the smug blond glanced and winked at him. ' _Stupid!'_

"Judging by your silence, I'm assuming I win."

"What happened at the hotel?" Nara changed the topic, pretending the poor wheel was a certain teen's neck. "Also, where's my equipment?! I gave you both, three items. Now all you idiots have is my knife?! And you're missing your hoodie!"

Naruto's memory was a bit hazy and it showed on his face. That was replaced by irritation when he started to remember. "Um, well, one, sorry about your fucking equipment. Two, my sister gave her life so we could be here! That's what happened!"

"Who?!"

"Oh, that's right. Naruto said they got two girls after we were gone. I think one of them was Neji's cousin."

Shikamaru glanced at Gaara then up to Naruto from the rear view mirror. "Someone else helped you on your's and Sasuke's mission?"

Naruto rolled his eyes and dropped against the seat. "I'm not going to explain this to you."

"Then don't. While you're at it, don't catch a damn attitude about shit that's your fault!"

"Fuck you mean it's my fault?!"

"Why did she get involved and who let her?! Jesus Christ Naruto it's like you don't give a damn about...Whatever, I'm not dealing with this." Shikamaru turned on the radio rather aggressively, needing music. Mainly his old rock music. His station was out of range so all that played was that good static. Ticked, he turned it off and rolled the window down, using the wind as a substitute for sound.

"You happy now?"

The driver scoffed and said, "Is that such a crime, Gaara?"

Gaara stared at him for a minute, deadpan. "No." He turned to look out the window, crossing his legs and arms.

From the back seat, Naruto mumbled, "I do care…"

To Sasuke that sounded like the blond wasn't exactly talking to them. He eased back up, ignoring the tension in the atmosphere. "Naruto?"

"I do care!" He shouted through tears, his overwhelming feelings coming from a long line of things he couldn't possibly understand just yet.

"We know, Naruto." Gaara looked up in the rear view mirror, spotting the youngest crying and being hugged by Sasuke. "Nara."

"I'm not going to apologize every time someone's feelings get hurt!"

"That's fine, but there's always a better way to handle things!"

"Like babying them?!"

"Hey can we all share a tent? It's going to be cold the next few nights." Kiba took out one of his ear buds, catching everyone looking at him like he'd just goofed. "Never mind…" Earbud back in.

"I'm only saying you could have approached the manner differently like a leveled human being and not like-"

"Like what? An asshole?"

"No! Like our mentors, Shika! They always berate, and...everything we're trying to get away from!" Gaara hugged himself. He wanted the driver to see that he wasn't against him but he was against everything they were taught to feel. "No one should have to shout and degrade to get what they want. I know we'll always be a part of them, but we're better than them. We can put what we learned to better use when necessary."

Silence rain.

With a heavy sigh, Shikamaru waved the mental white flag..that had little hearts on it. "As you wish. Naruto, I'm not apologizing for what I said, but I will apologies for the manner in which I said it."

"Thank you." The ginger smiled, turning in his seat again to look back at Naruto, seeing him calming down. "Your turn."

Naruto shrugged as much as he could, Sasuke still hugging on to him. "I guess I'm sorry for the way I responded too."

"Now both of you talk it out calmly."

Shikamaru started first, taking a deep breath. "Please tell me what exactly happened at the hotel?"

Naruto took an equally deep breath and explained everything he could up until the point he lost consciousness. The hug he was receiving from the raven intensified when he found out Hinata's sacrifice was real.

"I'm sorry about the girl," Shikamaru said, respectfully, "but it sounds like she wanted to die. I'm not trying to be offensive or anything! I'm just saying it sounds like she went through hell for a while and didn't see a way she could forget. We've lost a lot of people like that before who just can't take it."

Naruto frowned and nodded, looking down at his hands afterwards. "Sure, man."

"At least she got see you and save you. Even I'd be happy with that." Sasuke switched from a hug to holding the blond's hands.

"HA! Gay!" Kiba had taken out another earbud since there was no more shouting. He coughed when got looks again so sunk deeper into his seat, whispering, "Sorryyy."

Naruto rolled his eyes and smiled at the way Sasuke overreacted and hid behind a hood.

"You guys don't worry about Kiba. The good thing about making a run at the store, is paying the maintenance fee for the boat as well," Gaara spoke up as he unlocked the glove department, pulling out a panda themed calendar. With legs crossed still, he looked over the date to make sure he was correct.

"It is that time already, huh?" Shikamaru chuckled, making a left to get on the interstate. "Can he hear you?"

"No, I don't think he can. He would of freaked out by now." Gaara glimpsed back to make sure the teen had put their earbuds back in. "Nah, he can't hear a thing."

"Why would he freak out?" Naruto asked, mid attempt at pulling the hoodie off of the raven's head. He unfortunately met resistance.

"You'll both see."

"See what, Gaara?" Sasuke, being nosy, came out of hiding anyway.

"You'll have to wait to see."

"Well that sucks." Naruto huffed, leaning back against the seat smiling a second later after remembering a certain event. "Almost sucks as much as you busting your face on a tree."

"I never busted my face against a tree," Gaara mumbled, confused as all hell. When he looked up into the mirror, he saw the blond was looking at Sasuke who was rather red again. "Oh! Ouch! How'd that happen?"

"It was an accident!" Sasuke tried to defend himself no matter how happy he was that Naruto remembered something else.

"No the hell it wasn't..sort of. He was trying to impress me, Gaara!" He teased, play fighting back the raven trying to shut him up. "H-He even lost two- OW! That's my face! You little-"

Gaara saw them and shook his head at the two in the far back wrestling. "Don't hurt each other."

"Hm, I'm betting on Sasuke," the driver commented on the scene, "Care to wager?"

"Hmm, I'll wager the latter by default. How much we talking?" Gaara became unsure if he should have even took that bet into consideration when Nara beckoned him over to whisper something. He leaned in cautiously.

What he heard made him hit Nara with that calendar in a flustered manner. "What is wrong with you?!"

Since Shikamaru was prepared, he blocked with an arm up. He used that respected hand to catch the calendar and pull the ginger over. "Deal or no deal? This is payback."

\:: Children Games ::/

"So, how exactly did this happen?" Orochimaru was busy patching up an unconscious Kakashi, sitting in a wooden chair next to the cot with the med-kit on the bed stand.

They had 'commandeered' some poor families hovel home for the time being, killing the father as a means of guaranteeing compliance. His body lay in the center of the dirt floor, a clean gunshot wound to the back of the head.

"How do you think it happened?" Obito sat at a small dinner table with one chair and an assault rifle on top. His eye was previously patched up first. He looked over his ruined suit, seeing nothing salvageable.

Jiraiya shrugged, standing, keeping his handgun's attention on the cowering woman and her child in the corner. "Does it matter at this point? We need to figure out why the hell they were there because that was not any ambush maneuver we taught them. That was more of a retrieval type set up. The stones are at the compound too. Menma knows that."

"Hmm." Obito pondered, rubbing the back of his sore neck. "You still have the lead?"

"Yeah," Jiraiya patted his left pocket containing his phone, winking at the little girl when she made eye contact.

"Then what are we missing?"

"You mean besides Sakura and Neji? We at least need him for the test." Orochimaru actually sounded somewhat disappointed which was the closest to sad he was ever going to get.

"I highly doubt he was the heir, so we'll make do. As for Sakura and Hinata, I did see them on the gurneys outside when I was leaving the building." Obito traced a finger along his bandaged eye, wincing with the other. "Of course that was after your little Moriku decided to show us he'd been reading bomb making for dummies."

"Awwww! Moriku was never cute, but he made up for it with his mind. I'm so proud!"

"I hope you're not because if he's not the heir, he will suffer slowly."

Jiraiya shook his head. "Careful Obi, you're sounding like Kakashi."

"Kakashi? KAKASHI?!" The only one thought stable in their group, lost his bloody mind. He slammed his bandaged fist against the table, calling forth the cherry stains and startling their prisoners. "That dumb, over sympathetic, worthless piece of shit is the reason we're even like this! If I didn't stop him from charging, we'd be in fucking pieces! Speaking of pieces, that was your room he made a bomb with, Orochimaru!"

"Why you yelling at me?! You told me to pack explosives!"

"I didn't say put them in your damn room!"

"Well from what you've been explaining, it sounds like Moriku hurt himself too." Jiraiya chuckled, enjoying his brother's tantrum.

"I think he broke his leg when he fell through the floor."

"Wait, wait, you mean to tell me," Jiraiya said as he looked back over his shoulder, brow raised, "he dropped a room on you guys, but he fell through the floor?"

"He'd made an exit route for himself and it backfired. Like I said, he didn't know what the hell he was doing. All Kakashi had to do was stop playing into his hands and we would of had him!"

Orochimaru finished up securing the bandages around Kakashi's head. "Sounds to me like Moriku knew what he was doing then."

Obito, beyond pissed at this point, jutted up and marched over, pressing his magnum to the back of Ochi's head. "Say that again."

"Jeez, Obito. Relax!" Jiraiya moved to calm him down, placing a hand on the man's back. "Why are you so worked up?"

"Because I'm done repeating myself!" Obito shrugged off his comrade. "My tolerance level is one! I'm done with our students! I'm done with Kakashi!" He switched his aim to said person's head and pulled the trigger without a second thought.

The shot rang loud and true. To his disappointment, he missed because his arm was pushed up by Orochimaru. Which sent the bullet through the wooden plank wall instead. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Obi?!"

"Get your hands off me!" Obito jerked away from him too, storming off to an occupied corner.

"Man, what are you doing now?!" Jiraiya put a hand on his own hip, handgun at his side.

"You guys wont let me shoot him so I'm going to kill someone else!"

The mother stood up to protect her child. When he got closer, she tried to punch him but he caught her wrist and held it up, smoothly putting a barrel to her face. Seeing she'd never had a chance, she glimpsed at her daughter, shouting, "RUN!"

The little girl took off out the door, missing her mother be struck to the ground with the grip of the weapon.

"Jiraiya!"

"On it, Obi." Jiraiya put down his handgun and picked up his assault rifle. As he exited pass the woman, he said, "Don't worry, young miss. Kids love me."

She tried to reach out and stop him, but her hand was stomped to the ground. The woman bit back from screaming out, not wanting her daughter to come back. Her long black hair was then yanked by the strands proximal to her forehead.

Obito took a knee, forcing the wincing woman to look at him, foot still on her hand. "You know what, you look just like my mother."

"You mean disappointed?" She coughed involuntarily in his face.

"Something along those lines." Lucky for her, he leaned back just in time.

Orochimaru witnessed the bright flash and thundering bang that lead to parts of the floor and walls being decorated with the woman's brain matter and skull cap pieces. "Wow...wake the whole neighborhood why don't you!"

"Would you have preferred it was you then?!" Obito dropped her empty skull back to the earth, standing back up thereafter. "I'm not allowing anymore screw ups on you guy's part. You all either fall in line or fall in a grave." He aimed his gun at their downed emotional brother and ordered in a fit of searing spite, "When that fuck wakes up, make sure it's strapped to that goddamn chair!"

\:: My leg! My Face!::/

After driving for quite some time, hours on hours going past the evening that is, they finally came to a big super Waldy-mart on the way from the outskirts of town. They lucked up acquiring a middle ground parking since it was getting late. When they exited the vehicle, Gaara noticed the driver's limp had not elapsed.

"What did you do?"

"I can tell you I haven't broken my Tib-Fib, so we're still on," Shikamaru responded sternly, getting yanked as result and pushed up against the car. "Hey, hey, I didn't win the bet though."

"Oh you- Shut up and let me see." Gaara got on a knee and lifted the man's pants leg to check, mentally rolling his eyes at the clever one.

Meanwhile, Kiba, Sasuke, and Naruto, were discussing what they were going to get.

"I know damn well we can't get anything with apples in it." Naruto looked to Sasuke, sort of pissed he never mentioned that to him.

The raven held up his hands in a guilty fashion. "Sorry! I haven't really been thinking about my allergies."

"Well you should! Gaara loves apples! We could have poisoned you. " Kiba poked the teen's shoulder, lost to why his bird haired friend jumped. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah!" Sasuke laughed it off through the hoodie. He'd gotten a terrifying flashback for a second. Good thing his face was sort of hidden. He had to keep his hood over his head when they got out of the car for obvious reasons. Actually, he and Gaara were the only ones able to wear their non-blood stained hoodies at all. None carried their weapons of course either. "I'm just nervous that Naruto will embarrass me in the store."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, you embarrass me to much!" The raven got up in blond's face just to spin around and try to retreat when he was grabbed around the waist. "AH! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He laughed out as he squirmed around.

"Uhuh, uhuh, chill what now?!" Naruto hugged his buddy tightly.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Sasuke squirmed more, laughing.

Kiba shook his head and pointed and accusing finger at them. "Gaara, Naruto's molesting Sasu-I mean Sasi!"

"Sasi?" Gaara looked up from his examination, amused.

"Oh my god please don't call me that!" Sasuke begged, failing to escape his friend's embrace just yet.

"I say we do! I like Sasi! You can be real sassy sometimes." Naruto gritted out playfully, attempting to restrain the teen more.

"It sounds like that cat's name from homeward bound!"

"It is inspired!" Kiba cheered, happy to know that the raven watched as many movies as he had.

"You guys need to stop." Gaara shook his head and went back to doing his check up.

"You mean like how you need to stop slick trying to give Shikamaru a blow job right now?"

Shikamaru laughed abruptly at the blond's comment, wiping at his nose with the back of his hand like he wasn't doing anything when the ginger looked up at him with a glare. "Hm?"

"Your leg is fine. If it was broken it should of been swoll- Had fluid build- It would have needed to be amputated!" Gaara couldn't find the right words that were not triggers for the laughing perverts, so he settled for that last bit. He then eased up after pulling the pants leg back down, straightening himself out. "You likely only sprained it."

"Thanks for the help." Shikamaru couldn't help the smile that showed from the way Gaara looked at him so pissed like and yet adorable all at once. "What I say?"

"I'm not dealing with this." Gaara threw his arms up. "I can't."

"Wait, Gaara!" Shikamaru limped after the ginger. "I still can't walk."

"Oh my god!" Gaara covered his ears, walking away to the store.

"That's not what I meant! Gaara!" He stopped when he couldn't hop anymore, nearly falling until Naruto caught him under an arm and Kiba helped under the other. "Thanks."

"No problem. It's good to see you laugh for once." Naruto patted the clever man on the back.

"For the longest time I didn't think you could," Sasuke chimed in honestly, walking past them.

Shikamaru glared at the raven's back. "Naruto, get your boy."

"Oh I will."

Sasuke looked back and stuck his tongue out, laughing when he heard the blond mumble a set of curses. "What's slowing you guys down?"

"If we work together we can get him."

"Gaara!" The raven then ran up to the ginger, holding onto his arm for protection.

"What now?" Gaara looked back and rolled his eyes at how slow they were going because those three couldn't work together often. "We've gotta get Shikamaru some crutches."

"Or a cane," Sasuke mumbled, seeing an old man pass them with such.

"Hmm," Gaara pondered aloud then asked, "Hey Shika, you want us to get you a walking stick or a crutch?"

"Walking stick?" Shikamaru figured out why the redhead didn't say cane a little after the fact. "Sure, the walking stick will do."

"Get a fancy one!" Kiba beamed thinking of all the possibilities.

Naruto snickered out, "Yeah, and use it to hit dog breath over there with it."

"Bite me, blondy!"

"Only if you've had your rabies shot."

"...I don't think it works like that, Naruto."

"Yes it does, right Shika?"

Shikamaru stared ahead, mentally regretting everything and wishing he'd just fallen to the ground. Those two kept asking him retarded question after retarded question from there on into the store and on the bench they sat him on inside.

Sasuke and Gaara were the lucky ones chosen to go and find his walking stick.

"Well what about ducks? Ducks have teeth."

"Ducks do not have teeth, Naruto! They have bristles. Also, they are avian. Only mammals can be infected with rabies."

"We'll I'm not a mammal. I don't produce milk. So I guess I can't get rabies after all."

Shikamaru wished he could leave. He didn't understand how Naruto got this way with his mentor being Kakashi. Kakashi is a lot of things, but not this dumb. At least that gave him something to think on. None of them really took after their mentors to the full letter. It was more like they adapted traits from any one of them and so built off of long forgotten ones. Obito is a genius, and from what Shika found out about his own previous life, he was one too. He didn't understand why he never tried that much in school though.

Sighing, he leaned back against the bench, drowning out the sounds of the busy consumers and the idiot/less-idiot on either side of him. He chose to think about something happy like what if he'd won that bet.

"Look what you did, you broke Shika!" Kiba waved a hand over the older comrade's blank eyes, not even getting a blink.

"Ah he'll be fine. Here comes Sasu- SASI!" Naruto caught himself, cursing under his breath for nearly slipping. He glared at Kiba for laughing at him. "Har-har."

"What you guys laughing about?" Sasuke walked up to them with Gaara beside, holding the stick.

"Nothing, Miss Sasi." Naruto grinned and then winced from a bunk on the head thanks to Gaara. "O-w, Gaara! Wah? Where'd you find an actual stick?"

Upon hearing the gingers name, Shikamaru started to tune back into the world. "Who? Where?"

"I said I found a hiking stick! It's perfect for the fair grounds." Gaara handed the smart ass his new temporary walking aid.

It was indeed a nice pine 55" oak stick.

"I do appreciate it...How much did this cost though?" Shikamaru would be a cheapskate and or logical budget manager of the group.

Gaara on the other hand, not so much. He rubbed at his own right arm in embarrassment. "Umm, nothing you'd be happy about if I told you."

"Fair enough." How could he be mad at that face. "Someone grab two carts."

"I got it!" Naruto jumped up to go and was tripped by Sasuke. "Y-You!"

"What?" The raven grinned side stepping out of the blond's reach. "You always go for the same spot!"

That little dodge impressed Gaara. There was a lesson to teach here first. "Why don't you two use that energy to get the carts. Whoever arrives back here first chooses dinner for tonight. What do you think, Shika?"

Shikamaru of course thought that was a stupid idea. ' _The moment they start running I'm just going to trip the hell out of-OH!'_  Now he understood why the ginger had winked at him like that. "I think that's a brilliant idea."

"Alright you two."

Naruto stopped his assault attempts to stand next to the raven. "Get ready for ramen, bud."

"In your dreams, boss."

That word scared Naruto for a second. He really didn't want to go to sleep anytime soon in case those men showed back up. By him contemplating about his nightmare, he missed Gaara say, 'GO!' by a second. None of that mattered. He ended up kissing the floor with Sasuke anyway due to being tripped by Shika's new cane. He grumbled against the floor, wincing to look over at the downed raven and up to see Gaara grinning. "Really guys?!"

"No running or rough housing in the store."


	20. Ladybug

Gaara sure did result to violence.

' _Shikamaru was right.'_  Sasuke thought to himself, rubbing his nose though he was assured it wasn't broken. He walked alongside Naruto, both put on cart pushing duty. Kiba got pick of dinner since he and the blond were literally down for the count.

"How's your teeth?" Naruto couldn't help it.

Sasuke stuck his tongue out at the blond for a response, having been busy checking the items in his designated buggy.

"That's nasty. I'm going to tell Gaara."

"Do it and I'll tell him you put a box of ramen in here without permission," He backfired, smirking and glimpsing at the nervous culprit.

Naruto allowed his buddy to have this victory. He mumbled, "Sasi bastard."

Up ahead of the bickering, Gaara was looking over the graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate. They'd already gotten the essentials for dinner and some on the road consumption. Dinner was to be microwavable meals. It wasn't something he'd have picked but they didn't have a stove. A microwave was there best bet at the hotel.

"You guys have the camping supplies?" Gaara asked the returning bodies of Shikamaru and Kiba with a few items. 

"We already have tents and everything else. I picked up some more matches and a bag for the new kid." Shikamaru didn't have to hop as much with the stick helping take on most of the weight off his leg.

"Thanks!" Sasuke was ecstatic when he received his very own hiking backpack from the pupper teen. It was almost like the little one he had as kid except purple. "Goes with the wristband."

"Glad you like it. We're not going back." Nara then turned to look at the candy, searching for a specific kind.

"Looking for your Twizzlers?"

He glanced at Gaara and shrugged. "No."

"Good because they're already in the cart." The ginger smiled and passed by him with brand boxes for s'mores making. "So quit your searching."

"Can I please have some Cheetos to go with my Salisbury steak!" Kiba's taste buds were unorthodox, but they were his.

"One bag!" Gaara didn't look forward to orange hand-prints everywhere.

"How can they afford all this?" Sasuke thought aloud, leaning on the cart after setting his bag inside.

"Well I know Gaara use to have a legit job. I think they have help though from random people we use to-..." Naruto dawned off, thinking about what he was about to say.

"Random people you what?"

"Nothing! Nothing, just worked with." He then leaned over his own cart slightly, desperate to change the topic. He didn't want to his buddy to think less of them. He whispered between then,  "Can't wait to eat that ramen!"

"Oh no." The plan was successful. Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed. "The thought of it is making me sick."

' _Rather the ramen than us.'_ Naruto fidgeted with the cart bar, laughing at the raven's comment to cover his tracks.

"On to the pet section!" Gaara ordered aloud after putting away more items. He chuckled at the two groaning on cart duty. "We're almost done so stop your whining."

"Why are we going to the pet aisle?" Kiba asked rather anxiously, pulling on two clumps of bangs down either side of his head.

"We have to pay the boat man." Shikamaru teased, shoving the cash envelope against the green tank top of the the smaller teen. "It's your turn to turn it in."

Kiba's face went full on siren red as he clutched the envelope. "Since we did we start doing that?!"

"Start doing what?" Naruto caught up with them along with Sasuke, hearing how distraught kibbles was. "What's wrong with your face?"

"It's nothing! Mind your own business, blondy!"

"Aww Kiba's blushing!"

"Shut up, Sasi!" Kiba ran away from them and up to Gaara where he whispered, "I can't do this! I'm not even covered! I feel naked without something on my arms!"

"You'll be fine! Come on," Gaara ushered the teen forward, ignoring their attempts to argue otherwise.

"Kiba must like him or something." Sasuke looked to Naruto to see if he was thinking the same thing on the way out of the candy/snack isle, more towards the back of the store.

Naruto puffed at air. "Or he's afraid of him."

' _Afraid? I highly doubt that.'_ In the raven's head, Kiba was probably twice as scary as anything he'd ever seen.

While they walked, two of them noticed the security camera following them and switching to them every chance it got.

\:: Enemies::/

Kakashi could feel this really nice breeze on his face. He almost sensed it all over if it weren't for his clothes. He was in an odd position to be experiencing such a thing anyway. Straining, he tried to move. He came to realize that he was tied down to a chair and blindfolded. Possibly he was outside as well. By the sound of the waves crashing behind him, he was somewhere by the ocean. Staring into darkness straight ahead with a right eye only, he thought, ' _This is fine.'_

"Thank fucking hell he's awake! It's freezing out here man."

' _That sounds like Jiraiya...He's still alive? That's fine too.'_ He let out a breath of disappointment.

"You couldn't catch a little girl so we had to move!"

' _Obito sounds as happy as ever.'_ He chuckled to himself, waiting on the third voice.

"He got a shot off at least."

' _There's the optimistic Orochimaru. I'm surprised he took part in this.'_  He was let down by a very short mile. That eventually went away when he felt something cold push against his forehead. "Are we starting now?"

"Are you going to fall in line?"

' _Why does he asks questions that he knows he only wants one answer to?!'_  Grumbling, Kakashi nodded.

"We didn't cut your tongue out. Speak."

' _Fuck you. Fuck all of you. You guys never liked me anyway! This was never even about us. This was about survival and revenge. This was a means to an end that required the effort of four. This journey has been nothing but hell and the only good thing to come out of it was…."_  He blinded himself further and came to the conclusion that that was it. Menma was his end. That's all he wanted. "I'll fall in line on one condition."

"Let me guess. You want Menma?"

"You can have my stone if you want." Kakashi wasn't the least bit surprised when they laughed at him.

"For a useless boy?!"

"That brat's not even worth the year I spent sucking up to his parents or hunting them down!"

"Honestly, Kakashi. Power or sex? Power or sex? That's an obvious decision! Plus, what if he's the heir and we need to kill him?! Be sensible, bro!"

Kakashi shook his blindfolded head, his mind made up. "I don't believe he is and we've no definite way to tell anyway. So, I'll help you guys get the others, but not if I can't leave with him."

"You….You're serious?!"

' _Either they hit me on the head, or Obito actually sounded like he was hurt for a second.'_ Kakashi looked around at a lost. "Obito-"

"Everything we've worked to build up, you'd leave for...- He doesn't even want you!"

' _Oh shit, he is upset.'_ Kakashi's blindfold was then yanked off abruptly, exposing the nightly bay they were at and the people he used to call family. The cold steel at his head had left as well. He blinked away the darkness, looking down at his feet surrounded by sand and then up to a rather mad man holding the blindfold as if ready to choke him with it. "Are you really upset by this, Obito? Why'd you guys blindfold me? I only have one eye anyway."

"Thought it would make this easier." Obito gripped the blindfold tighter to keep himself from losing his shit again. "I'm only asking that you reconsider running off with that kid. We're your brothers-"

"No."

"…..then you forfeit your stone?" He really couldn't except that Kakashi was going to abandon them like that at the end and take nothing but that worthless blond.

"Yes."

"I guess you really weren't listening to me at all." The eldest sighed in disappointment and regret, dropping the blindfold. He re-positioned his gun, placing the barrel against a nice little spot between Kakashi's good eye and the bandaged one.

The silver haired man tied to the chair did nothing but wait. His mind was made up, and so was his executioners. He wasn't even bothered when Jiraiya, and to a lesser extent, Orochimaru, watched with no ounce of concern themselves. One thing did catch his attention though, Obito's smile.

"Kakashi, I regretfully ... accept your wishes." Obito withdrew his magnum and tucked it in his waistband. "Once we are done. You can have Menma and you may leave us."

"Are you serious?" Kakashi doubted rightfully, familiar with the crazy guy in front of him and how his brain worked, or so he assumed.

Obito chuckled with remorse and nodded. "Jiraiya, come free this idiot."

' _This is a trap, isn't it?'_ When he was cut loose, he rubbed his wrist and looked up at Jiraiya, noticing he was avoiding eye contact. "You aren't going to just shoot me in the back when I get up are you?"

"The hell did you just say?!" Obito shouted, insulted. "Is that what you think of me…? When have I ever let you guys down?!"

"Never," Jiraiya said, shaking his head and patting Kakashi on the back. He looked as if he wanted to say something else. He did not.

"I'm sorry. I guess I just thought you'd kill me."

"I'm not wasting another breath repeating myself to you." Obito started walking off, cane nowhere in sight. He stopped on a sandy hill where it met grass, ranting,"I am going to get those kids though. They think their cute, running off and trying to live normal lives like we didn't exist, knowing we would come for them when we really needed them. I don't think they know they've crossed a line. What bothers me most is, I can't think of what in the actual fuck was crossed! They didn't come to save the other students, nor to kill us."

"We've ruled out the stones too," Jiraiya chimed in.

"They're at the compound and Menma knows that." Kakashi followed behind them, stretching out from being tied to the chair so long.

"We crossed out the students, and the stones because we have the only keys to the comp-" Obito stopped and slowly turned around to look back at Kakashi. "Everyone pull out your key."

They had one rule among the mentors: Your Key stays on you at all times.

Jiraiya pulled his out from underneath his left pants leg in his sock. "Got mine."

"Got mine too," Orochimaru pulled out his from his pant's back pocket and held it up, still not able to look at them. He loved his brothers and so couldn't bare to see what had just happened, but he was glad nothing did occur.

"I've got mine as well." Obito's one good iris stayed on Kakashi the whole time while pulling out his own key from inside a blazer pocket.

"That leaves you, Kakashi."

"Forget it, Jiraiya. I know where they're going." Obito turned away from them, pulling out his phone to make a few calls. "This screw up might actually be the best thing he's ever contributed."

"Screw up? Kakashi? Please tell me you didn't leave your key at the hotel?!" His emotional brother shrugged at him like it couldn't be helped. "THE FUCK?!" Jiraiya shoved the not phased guilty party to the ground. "We had one god damn rule!"

"I said forget it, Jiraiya! This is actually good. Those guys we hired can finally come to use." Obito walked off again, not really caring if Jiraiya stopped or not.

\:: Animals ::/

"Where is he, Gaara?" Sasuke asked curiously. He'd been sitting on a bench with the others for a while.

All were watching a nervous Kiba up at the front desk.

"The boat man? I don't know. He's usually, um, how do I put this-"

"Weird," Shikamaru butted in flat out on the right of the ginger. "He needs to be on dialysis."

"Nara!" Gaara glared at the rude man whom only just looked around as if he did nothing wrong. "Ignore him, Sasuke. Shino is not weird! He's just different."

"Shino, huh? How different?" Sasuke quirked his head to the side, ignoring Naruto on his left complaining about being hungry again.

"He's different. You know the acronym. Dead inside from-Nngh!" Shikamaru was elbowed in the gut by a lovely redhead, making him keel over some.

"He's different in a good way." Gaara smiled, patting the one he assaulted on the back to get over it.

"Hmm, so Kiba likes him for this."

"Yes! He also has an understanding of all kinds of animals and insects."

"Really?"

"Mhm, he knows more than I care to know. A double plus is," Gaara said in a whisper, motioning the raven over, "he's extremely hot."

"He's what?!" Oh Shikamaru damn sure heard that.

"I didn't say anything, Shika."

Sasuke shook his head, slightly shocked and amused that those words came out of the oldest's mouth though. 

A door closed nearby, alerting all present to look forward. From behind the desk and around the corner came a tall, modeled man wearing a lab coat. It was unbuttoned in no means of a way to show off his gray, loose v neck shirt. His hair was short, dark, and unruly with strands coming over his biker goggles. There was a clipboard in his hand that he was reading when he came around, so it looked as if he hadn't spotted his 'customers'. He placed the clipboard on the computer desk nearby and then walked back to his post by cash register where he stood there silently.

While this annoyed everyone else, it allowed Kiba to relax some. Taking a deep breath, he handed the veterinarian the envelope, focus locked on those goggles he could barely see through. Blushing, all he could get out was, "Money."

Naruto laughed at the childish display, receiving an elbow in the ribs from his buddy. "Nngh!"

"Not so fun is it." Shika grumbled quietly, able to finally sit up straight.

"If you weren't being so mean I wouldn't have hit you."

"I wasn't being mean, Gaara. I'm telling the truth. Look at him! He stares for almost an hour and says nothing. The man's 25 and he acts like he's gone senile! I'll admit this is funny, but he's too old for Kiba." Shikamaru whispered back in anger more than he should of did.

Gaara grinned, nudging him playfully. "Look who's jealous and overprotective all of a sudden. Kiba's 19. He's well old enough."

"To you! Also, I'm neither of those things! You, pay attention and you'll see what we mean." Nara redirected the raven's attention to the front with a snap of his fingers.

' _Okay that escalated.'_  Sasuke stared ahead, seeing there was seriously something wrong since the man called, Shino, hadn't moved at all.

Kiba looked down to stare at a ladybug that fluttered off the Veterinarian's coat near the wrist onto the cash register. He distracted himself with the pretty red bug and waved the envelope blindly this time. He even went a step further and lightly tapped the casing against the man's face.

That was the point where Naruto exited. He couldn't control his laughter any long no matter how much Gaara threatened him to get back there.

"Is he blind?" Sasuke asked in a hush hush voice, worried.

"No, he's not. He's just different depending on the person. I've only ever gotten two words out of him."

"What did he say?"

Gaara shared a smirk to Nara and said, "Date me."

He didn't fall for it. "Here's my two words, nice try."

Attention shifted back when Shino finally moved. Like he actually lifted his arm to bring his hand to the envelope slapping against his face and stopped it. "Kiba?"

The chocolate haired teen's heart almost stopped at that riveting voice. His temperature picked and went right to his cheeks. "H-Hey!"

"Forgive me for asking, but why are you shaking like that? I didn't recognize you for a second."

"A second?! It's been like five minutes….Okay! I'll behave." Shikamaru took a deep breath and a vow of silence for the time being when Gaara glared at him again.

"Shaking?" Kiba looked himself over. He was a little cold, and so shivering every now and then. It was nothing serious. "I'm fine, Shin-!" His words vanished when Shino vaulted over the counter.

"Allow me to fix that." The smaller pupper like male was then hugged nice and tight. "I can offer you a full check up as well if you'd like. Though I only specialize in animals, I believe I can still provide you a full and thorough service."

Kiba's body went rigged, and if he had a tail it would do the same.

"That actually sounds really nice." Gaara teased, pulling his hoodie string, playfully looking off in the distance.

"...Gaara, cut it out. It's not cute. As for this guy," Shikamaru said as he got up with that walking stick, "he needs to learn some boundaries!"

"Bound?" Shino's head quirked to the side at the oncoming clearly 'handicapped' customer. "We don't bound anyone around here unless they are known to have behavioral problems. Even then, we do it with comfort and any and all special needs in mind."

Kiba could feel his blood rising at the way Shino looked at him upon saying those suggestive words. His imaginary tail moved to wagging again in excitement.

"Oh my god..is he aware of what he's saying?" Sasuke whispered, blushing for the poor teen up in that perverse man's arms.

"Not a damn clue," Gaara mumbled out through his hands, shaking his head.

Shikamaru got himself under control before he whacked the guy for being stupid. "What I mean is, take your money, not Kiba!" He broke the two apart, glaring at the vet whom appeared not to notice a thing.

After two minutes, Shino asked, "Do you need a check up too?"

"What?! NO! Don't touch me!" Nara brought his walking stick up against Shino's chest to stop him from coming closer. "Gaara!"

Sighing, the ginger reluctantly got up and went over to help pull a whimpering Kiba away. "I got him."

"Good." When Shikamaru looked back at Shino, the older man had removed their lab coat and had it held out to him. "Excuse me?"

"For Kiba."

"...." He accepted the coat with a grunt, walking away. "Come on, um...you."

"I'm coming." Sasuke got up, snickering at Shika for forgetting. "Nice to meet you by the way, Mr. Shino, sir."

Shino nodded, waving and responded quietly with, "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Uchiha."

Sasuke froze just to be pulled along by Shikamaru. "W-Wait! He kno-"

"Of course he knows. The guy's weird, but he's not a snitch so relax."

' _How the hell can I relax?!'_ When the raven looked back, the man in question was gone. ' _Why do they know people like this?!'_  More questions led to more questions naturally. When his wrist was let go, he hung back behind them to ponder to himself more. ' _Could Shino be one of them? They would have mentioned that to me, I think. Naruto didn't look like he knew him at all. Ha! Probably doesn't know what a veterinarian is… He would look nice in a lab coat though.'_

"Hey, Sasi!"

"I wasn't thinking of anything!" Sasuke panicked, flinching and then realizing it was the blond scaring him. "You! Where have you been?!"

"Helped some old lady out with a top shelf. Caught a kid from falling out the buggy...you know. Stuff. What were YOU thinking about?" Naruto eyed the teen suspiciously. "It better not be that damn animal doctor!"

"Wow...um, okay, so what if I was ?!" He didn't really see why it would matter. "Boyfriend and friend are two totally different things."

"Boyfriend?" Naruto blinked, putting his hands in his pockets. "So you do like guys?"

' _Wha..What did I just say?'_  Sasuke paled, feeling the world around him narrow. He didn't dare look at his friend, and so played pretend like he never said anything. ' _What just came out of my mouth?!'_

"Sasi?"

' _Ignore him! Ignore him!'_ He screamed in his head.

"Okaaayyy, don't tell me. It's not like I care who you date anyway." Naruto shrugged it off falsely uninterested. "Kiba called dibs on the guy by the looks of it so tough luck with that."

' _Naruto, shut up! You sound jealous as all...Wait.'_  Sasuke glimpsed from within his hoodie at the manly pouting, rambling blond . ' _He- He is jealous!'_

"-guy even gave Kiba his coat and he's now wearing it like his life depends on it! You are not getting in between them-"

' _He's still rambling!'_  The love bugs were having a field day in his stomach, sending his nerves on edge at the possibility that his friend did...like him. "Naruto, why are you going on like that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do! You just said-Nhm!" Sasuke's mouth was covered by a tan hand.

"I know what I said, but I never said anything."

"Nmmm!" Onyx eyes widened in amusement as he tried to pry the teen's hand off his mouth and the arm from around him.

"Mah's not here to save you so you can't speak your lies." Naruto laughed, playful like restraining again with the raven till they ceased movement. "You alright?"

"Mawmm!"

"Hm? Oh yeah, I remembered Mah. She's a nice lady. You look like her." Naruto teased, letting his buddy go. "Which explains a lot."

Sasuke forced the hoodie over his face more, embarrassed. "I-I'm happy you remembered her."

"Same. I hate that I can't recall everything though. Looks like we had a lot of fun."

"We did, but don't beat yourself up over it. Even I have trouble sometimes. It was a long time ago..." The raven frowned, reminiscing what he could.

"Really? Want to give me a history lesson later? Don't know why we never did that before." Naruto questioned that, recalling if they ever had a good amount of time to.

"I would lov- low key not mind doing that!" Sasuke perked up, butchering what he was going to say nonetheless.

"Cool." Naruto smiled, an arm around the teen's shoulder. "Now help me find where Gaara and the gang went off too. I don't think we were paying attention."

"We were supposed to be pushing the cart!"Sasuke stopped with his friend dead in their tracks. The store was big too which didn't help the situation. "He's going to kill us."

"More like kill me and lecture you." Naruto looked ahead for any signs of red, brown and black hair in a group. "Where could they have gone?"

"Check out line, maybe?"

"Eh, we can see."

"Or you morons can just turn around!" Shikamaru spooked the duo, hearing Gaara clear their throat from down the isle. "But they are being morons?! We just turned here!"


	21. Broadcast

Many quarrels later at the self checkout machine.

"Why can't I eat my Twizzlers and not the frozen meal? I don't even like rice like that."

"Because, for the last time, it's healthy for you- You know what? Never mind. Who put this in the buggy?" Gaara turned away in irritation, facing the rest of their group and holding up a pretty colored orange-ish red box. He was not going to argue over a trivial matter. He searched for the guilty member instead, taking a guess it was Naruto due to the way said teen was avoiding his gaze the most.  _'Why didn't he just ask me?'_

"Aaaghh, I'll get the frozen fit meal." Shikamaru groaned to himself and scanned the chilly container before bagging it. He only gave in because he bought both anyway.

Gaara rolled his eyes and chuckled, handing him the ramen box. "Mhm."

Naruto sighed in relief near a soda freezer, assuming he was out of the clear.

"Why are those guys looking at us?" Kiba questioned in a whisper, hiding Sasuke out of view from the store guards by standing in front of him. That of course was unbeknownst to the raven at that point whom thought the Kiba was just being himself and invading personal space.

"I'm not sure." Shikamaru finished securing the last items, eyes never drifting to give those men full recognition. "They're are two more of them now."

Gaara prepared to pay and asked quietly, "Do you think they know? The camera's have been following us all over the place."

"No ones blocking the exit. Let's hope they're just making sure we don't steal." He assisted his redhead by providing the correct change, ignoring the peeved and quick expression he got for butting in.

Sasuke couldn't see the people they were talking about and didn't want to risk trying to. They'd made it this far without issue. "Could Shino have told?"

"I highly doubt that." Kiba snuggled into the coat more. "He's so nice!"

Naruto grumbled. "Plus weird."

"It wasn't him." Gaara settled it, retrieving his receipt. "I think something else is wrong."

"We'll find out in a second." Nara was right, for as soon as the ginger pocketed the receipt, those armed men came over.

Their little five guy group carried on naturally like they didn't notice, each helping put everything in the respected shopping carts.

"Good evening." The lead security officer was tall and well aged. He wore a typical white shirt tacked on with badges and a mic. His hands were at his front near his hips almost, thumbs tucked into the waistband of his belted black pants. "We're sorry to bother you boys, but the manager would like to speak with you all. Since you've paid for your stuff, we'll have someone hold it for you guys till you return."

"Why does the manager want to speak with us?" Gaara communicated with the men first to draw attention away from the others.

"It is a manner that you all will discuss with her is all we were told." The officer took off his hat and held it against his chest in sincerity. "We promise that none of you are in trouble."

"Will it take long?"

"Not at all unless we delay. Which honestly, wouldn't be a bad thing." His words and genuine smile put a brisk, faded blush on the ginger out of surprise.

It didn't trigger Nara though like the others expected. No, he'd come to grips a long time ago that Gaara would warrant attention like this. That's fine. When he gives that attention back though, that's an issue...In reality he was just a soft jealous type. "We can leave after that?"

"You sure can, Sir." The officer nodded and then turned sideways with an arm out. "If you'd all follow us this way, please."

Everyone behaved and followed, leaving their stuff behind. They were escorted to the far right of the store and up rail stairs to the manager's office. Lucky for them, after entering the initially vacant area, they were left alone on a nice puffy couch.

The office was a clutter on the other hand and had an old style about it. It smelled of smoke to boot. They endured that atmosphere in silence for five seconds.

"None of this feels right no matter how nice they were. "

"What's your plan then, Shika?" Gaara crossed his legs and observed the room, concluding only one way out. "The way we came in is literally it."

"We could knock out the manager and make a run for it then." Shikamaru held onto his walking stick tight.

"Oooh! Or maybe we are really getting a prize and so we wait?" Kiba's idea was immediately shot down. "Wah? Better decide now. Here they come."

' _No, no, no!'_ Sasuke quickly buried his face in the blond's shoulder, shutting out all input as if that would help make him invisible somehow.

The door opened with a tiny mousy screech. In quietly walked a busty, middle aged woman in a dark beige pants suit. She locked the door behind her, keeping her hands at her back, marching to her desk in soldier like manner. "Well, well, well! I must say, I'm really not sure. From what I've seen though, you are that sweet kid I remember."

The confused silence was what she'd expected. Smiling, she turned to face them from behind the desk, her long platinum blond hair around her shoulders. "I suppose we should test it first."

Out of bloody nowhere the woman clasps her hands together then slowly drew them apart to reveal, dun dada dun, a ramen cup! She placed it on her desk without a suspicious air to it. "Anyone hungry?"

"Me!" Naruto flung up a hand, loving the magic trick. Amazed blueberry eyes looked around to see if he wasn't alone. His friends that he could see, gave him straight forward dispassionate expressions. "It was cool though!"

"There's no shame in having an inkling for the supernatural, Mr, um," she said with a chuckle, playing it off by moving her hand in a circle like motion to the blond teen for a name.

"It's Naruto," he responded as he tried to get up, "Let go!"

"No!"

"OH….MY...GOD! Is that Sasuke as well?!"

' _...Her?!'_ Sasuke was so caught up in not being seen that he didn't recognize her at tone at first. Any other day he would have been happy to hear that voice. Today was not that day. He slowly turned his head, locking eyes with the woman that wasn't supposed to be working in a store. "Tsunade?! W-Why are you here?!"

"Tsunade?" Gaara mumbled aloud confused.

"I don't know who the hell the rest of you kids are, but those two are my best friend's babies! Naruto is supposed to be ...MY GOD! Little Naruto is alive and you found him somehow Sasuke!" The busty woman called, Tsunade, made her way back around from her desk fast. She pulled the blond away and hugged him like she'd only dreamed she could. "I can't believe-! Wait till I find your parents! Or better yet, Sasuke's parents to help find your pants and just...praise the heavens!"

"Um Tsunade, we can't-"

"You can't what?!" She paused for a second, breaking the hug and zoning in on the blond's face, starting back up her ecstatic rambling, "why haven't you gone home yet?! What happened to your face?! Are the-"

WHACK!

Out went the poor woman, caught by a shocked Naruto. "What the hell, Shika?!"

Shika shrugged, lowering his weapon to help him stand again. "She's clearly going to call the cops! You and Sasuke can stay if you want, but we're leaving!"

Sasuke was going wherever Naruto was going.

Naruto wanted payback. "Okay! But you didn't have to hit grandma that hard!"

"Grandma?"

The raven shook his head. "She's not his grandma, Gaara. She's more like a-"

"Godmother," Naruto said before his buddy, involuntarily like a natural instinct, "I just call her grandma to piss her off…. Holey shit, I remember!"

"That's great, but we gotta go! So dump grandma on the couch and let's grab our crap!" Shikamaru checked outside the door to see no one guarding it, counting that as a blessing. "The cost is clear."

"Damn." Naruto sighed, using Sasuke's help to get her situated on the couch. It really was nice seeing her and being hugged like that anyway. He found himself smiling and staying by her side while his friends conjured a plan. "She's so cool..."

"Huh?" Nara blinked at a lost to that unhelpful information. "Naruto, focus! Besides, look at this place!"

"I don't think this is her place... It would look so much more awesome than this."

Sasuke shrugged when the others looked at him for answers. "Naruto believed she was magical when he was a kid! She used to own a circus and everything!"

"A circus?" Kiba got down on a knee near the blond to sniff the lady's hand, expecting cotton candy and all the other scents associated with the fun place. "Smells normal to me!"

"Don't make him start too." Shika was way too late.

"How about this? We'll pretend she talked with us and let us go! That'll give us enough time to run while they come check on her. " Gaara pulled Kiba and Naruto back from hovering around the woman.

"How do you know they won't stop us?"

"Because they're really nice."

Shikamaru stared at the ginger. "Real nice to you!"

"Well do you plan to hit them all with a stick?"

"I could give it a shot..." He'd thought about one guard in particular.

"I like Gaara's idea!" Sasuke chimed in, chuckling at how his whiskered friend got free and went back to idolizing the woman.

"Why can't we take her with us?!" Naruto wanted to recall more about this woman.

Shikamaru gave up, outvoted and annoyed with a certain blond already. "We'll take our chances with the lover boy. Come on."

As much as Naruto didn't want to go, he had too. Frowning, he hugged his godmother and felt a weird burning sensation against his chest that made him back up. Closer inspection lead him to see it was the gem glowing and then fading. He freaked out a little and backed away, choosing to follow his comrades out. There was a aged feeling eating at him that he couldn't quite place. It was a mix of remorse, regret, and even anger. Anger threw him off the most. Regret left him sad. Remorse was….deep. Deeper than he could have ever imagined.

Down the hall and stairs they went, leaving him to those emotions. His sights wondered to that gem around his neck again that kept pretending it was normal.

"I see she's dismissed you boys already. Hopefully nothing bad came of it." The one guard was all that stood by their things. He was just as pleasant as he was when they first met.

"Nothing that she saw worth keeping us at least," Shika answered this time, walking by with a pat to the man's shoulder, "She did want to see you guys though."

"Well thank you."

"No problem."

The moment the guards left, there was a casual haste to gather the supplies and get the hell out of dodge.

\:: A Plan ::/

"Our kids are on their way back to the compound with the key that Kakashi left there like an idiot. That is a good thing how?" Jiraiya asked, doubtfully from his driver position, yawning a second later.

"Because we know what they want. We also know the stones are on our turf which is good for us." Obito pulled the handle on his cane like a sheath and out came a literally bloody sword. "You keeping up?"

"I'm listening, bastard."

"They fooled us once. It won't happen again. "

Jiraiya looked back and forth from the road and to the man cleaning his tainted weapon. "But we aren't even sure if their plan was to make us think they were attacking us directly. So were we really fooled or did we fool ourselves?"

"That's some deep thin- Never mind just listen! I'm going to fuck with those kids minds so trivially that they'll think they're ahead...that they're capable of escaping. At the height of their happiness, joy, and triumphs, I will wake them up from that illusion with nothing but pain, suffering, and finally, death." He finished cleaning off his sword with the hem of his jacket, not noticing the annoyed look stuck on Jiraiya.

"...How?!"

"Watch me."

"Could you at least tell me why you sent Orochimaru off with Kakashi back to the compound?" Jiraiya felt that wasn't the brightest idea in the world to do. "Shouldn't we all go?"

Obito chuckled lowly and shook his head. "No, brother. For my trap to work, I need certain pieces in different places."

"The men you guys hired on are...?"

"They've been given their jobs and locations."

"You're not going to tell me what that is, are you?" The driver scoffed.

"Nope."

"Gee, thanks."

Obito laughed and re-sheathed his cleaned sword. "You'll see along the way, so don't worry. That's why you're here. I find you annoying, but you don't get all sentimental over every little thing I say or do. You understand the goal here."

"I understand that you're going overboard with their punishments again! Which is a lot more than usual, but I trust you." Jiraiya leaned back against the seat and turned on the radio, wincing at what came out. "Son of a- The guy you ended listened to the same music as you!"

Classical notes filled the air and soothed the savage beast. "Mmm, this is the only thing I liked about that life my mother chose."

"You sound like you just came on yourself."

"You sound like you'd clean it up if I did." Obito shed a good gut-full laugh at how the driver gagged repeatedly.

"You and Orochimaru need to stop with that queer shit!"

"We're not even related!"

"SO?! That doesn't make it right! You want me? Too bad. Use your hand because I'm not your man."

Obito shook his head, laughter dying down to a chuckle. "Funny, you come up with that on your own?"

"Sure did! Want another one? I know you need to cum, but you need to find another bum. Wait that didn't sound right!"

"Don't care. I'm going to sleep!" Obito grinned, tipping his hat down over his half bandaged face. "Wake me when we arrive at his place. We gotta stay ahead."

\:: Now You Know ::/

Some people are lucky. To be lucky can also be misunderstood as unpreparedness or fate. These boys were simply dealing with a mix of the two. They did make it out of that waldy-mart without chase. The alarm was activated on exit and thankfully came to be the burden of someone else. That didn't make sense to some of them at the time. With all that said, they weren't scott free. Since the woman didn't suffer from a concussion or end up with amnesia of any kind, they now had to hide from the world all together. How could they be sure of this?

Their assumptions weren't confirmed by the radio from the car or some random passerby.

TV was their confirmation. Specifically, the news.

That's right, the five guys had finally made it to a hotel room, having bribed the owner of course who'd catered to them before anyway. Due to the issue at hand, cost to stay went up drastically.

"What the hell are we going to do now, Nara?!" Gaara asked over the blow dryer from his indian style position at the foot of one of the two beds in their room. He was drying out Kiba's hair for him and watching the news on the TV display most of their faces from different angles at the store. "None of us can go out now!"

"I've got a few ideas!" Shikamaru was sitting on the other snowy sheet bed with Sasuke, helping him log on and navigate the laptop. He pointed to a bookmarked icon when a window was opened.

"You thinking covert?!" Naruto shouted as he exited the bathroom, towel around his waist. While drying out his hair with another towel, he winked at the raven he caught staring at him. He then went back into the bathroom to finish getting ready for bed, leaving the door open a smidge to hear everyone.

"Something along those lines, Naruto!" Shikamaru said back as he clicked to open a tab and pull up another site.

Sasuke had diverted his eyes back to the computer, blushing less this time and thinking, ' _Naruto is such a...cute idiot.'_

Gaara turned off the dryer finally and went to placing the hair pins back in Kiba's hair. "Well, what do you have in mind?"

"Give me a minute." Shikamaru eased off the bed, setting the rules, "Sasuke, you are only allowed to read those sites only. Anything else and you lose your privileges, got it?"

"Roger," Sasuke responded with a little salute, wearing a big red shirt with a sleeping panda on it. It hung off him a tad to the left. It was a generously donated nightwear and came with confirmation that the owner really did love all kinds of bears. He so snuggled into the bed above the covers for the time being, laying back with the laptop over his lap.

"Good." Nara turned his attention to one of the grocery bags by the door. He limped over and grabbed a peculiar box out of one before coming back and having a seat next to a lovely ginger. "I was thinking about this."

"What is that?" Gaara asked, patting Kiba's shoulders, letting him know he was done.

"Thank you!" Kiba hopped up excitedly, wearing his charcoal boxers, green tank top, and Shino's coat. His final destination ended with a jump on the bed next to the raven, curling up next to him.

"It's hair dye, Gaara."

"For who?!"

Shikamaru grinned at how quickly the oldest had snapped. "Relax, Gaara. It's for Naruto. The rest of us are going to do some minor changes like baseball caps and hair cuts. Kiba can wipe off the triangles as a bonus, but other than that, our faces aren't easy to pick out like his."

"Like me?" Naruto came back out of the bathroom in his gray sweatpants. He had a shirt in his hands that he was shaking the wrinkles out of before putting it on.

"Look at the TV." Shika pointed with the hair dye box to the screen.

Up in the corner by the news reporter's head were two screenshots. One of the blond as a child and another of the blond at the store helping someone. The reporter went on rambling about the possibility that this was the long thought lost heir of the famous Uzumaki family lineage. They explained the car accident and the disappearance of his parents. Soon, the manager of the store was on display at the front of the store to give her story.

_Live Broadcast:_

_Reporter: You are, Tsunade Senju? Temporary manager of Sannin's section three Waldy-mart?"_

_Tsunade: "Correct."_

_Reporter: "You were a very popular head figure in entertainment. What made you switch from the circus?"_

_Tsunade: "This is not about me!"_

_Reporter: "True! Given your background and age though, isn't this a bit of a gamble making such a bold statement?"_

_Tsunade: "...I think you better get to your point."_

_Reporter: "Do you truly believe this is your godson?"_

_Tsunade: "OF COURSE IT IS! Look at his face! Look at those pretty blue eyes! His hair is just like his annoying father's too! Not to mention Sasuke is with him! Those two never went anywhere without each other!"_

_Reporter: "You sound like you're a hundred percent positive this is that child. Are you sure that the Uchiha heir was with him though? Wouldn't he have called home or alerted someone by now if he truly was in no danger to be walking around a store?"_

_Tsunade: "I'm sure it is him! Though I didn't see him clearly enough becaus-"_

_Reporter: "I'm sorry, what do you mean?"_

_Tsunade: "W-Well two of them were wearing hoodies! Specifically he was the only one that had his hood on!"_

_Reporter: "Now you sound sort of doubtful. Are you prepared to tell Sasuke's parents that of which you are unsure? Word is they are on their way down here to determine if they should dig up the child's grave."_

_Tsunade: "...I know what I saw and what I heard. I've also no doubt in my mind that Fugaku and Mikoto will believe me. Hopefully we can also figure out why they're not coming home together."_

_Reporter: "If that is them! Are you basing this on looks alone? A lot of people are blond with blue eyes, myself included! What do you have to say about the scars on his face?"_

_Tsunade: "Are you fucking retarded?"_

_Reporter: "No ma'am I'm just making a true statement and asking a ques-"_

_Tsunade: "Well you also answered your own damn question. Since scars come from wounds that are healed over time, who put them on his face? You know what, give me that damn mic."_

_( Brief intermission with sounds of struggle)_

_(Cut back in to a ruffled old woman)_

_Tsunade: "IF ANYONE KNOWS OF THE WHEREABOUTS OF MY GRANDSON AND UCHIHA SASUKE, PLEASE CONTACT ME! I'VE ALREADY OFFERED MONEY FOR THE RETURN OF SASUKE! NOW I'M OFFERING TRIPLE THAT- GET OFF ME! AH- NARUTO! SASUKE! YOU BOYS COME HOME IF YOU CAN! THERE'S NO REASON TO BE RUNNING UNLESS SOMEONE IS AFTER YOU! I CAN PROMISE I'LL HANDLE IT! SO PLEASE, PLEASE COME HOME! WHOEVER IS HOLDING YOU BOYS, LET THEM GO OR I SWEAR YOU'LL WISH FOR MY PERMISSION TO DIE YOU SON OF A-!'_

_( Broadcast Ended Due To Technical Problems )_

Naruto was smiling big throughout the whole thing at his emotional godmother. He also found his vision blurred for a second. Touching his face, his fingertips met a wet streak going down one side of his whiskered cheek. His emotions were starting to act more and more out of control, or were they?

"Naruto," Shikamaru said, adding a level of understanding in his voice, "if you two want to go home, that's perfectly fine."

Gaara nodded. "We won't force you to do anything you don't want to do."

"Oh shut up," Naruto laughed it off, wiping his face, "Like I'd let you guys have all the fun."

"Boss wants to have fun so I'm with him." Sasuke raised a thumbs up, half paying attention to them and half reading the backstory of the legend.

"Okay, then I'm going to need you to dye your hair in the morning." Shikamaru tossed the blond the box.

He caught it and looked it over quizzically. "Black?"

"I grabbed it real quick. Should you not like it, you can wear contacts. "

Naruto shook his head, cringing some. "Nah, this is good."

"When did you buy that hair dye? I don't remember that being in the cart." The redhead eyed his partner suspiciously.

Shikamaru smirked, lifting his shoulders once as if obvious. "That's because it wasn't."

"...You stole it?! When?"

"During our escape I might of picked up a few discounted things." At least he was being honest. He was also being resilient and holding Gaara back from trying to quote on quote give him a punishment hit. "Why are you trying to hit me? I didn't do anything!"

"We don't steal!"

"Then how do you think we acquired that key, love?" He pinned the flustered redhead down, smirking at how defiantly they looked back at him blushing. "You're becoming quite the hypocrite there."

"Keeping appearances has been difficult lately." Gaara squirmed, attempts futile.

"You two can't keep your hands off each other lately either." Naruto teased as he walked by, pushing Shikamaru off Gaara when close enough. He sidestepped out of Shika's reach when he tried to grab him. "To slow, man."

"Thank you, Naruto!"

"No probs, Gaara." The blond stuck his tongue out at a peeved Shikamaru before turning back and pulling on Kiba's coat. "Move, Kibbles! I'm sleeping with Sasuke."

"S-Says who?" Kiba mumbled tiredly, already falling asleep against the raven teen.

"Says me. Now move!"

"Actually, Naruto, you're sleeping with Shikamaru and Kiba. Me and Sasuke are sharing a bed." Gaara sat up stretching and loving the pout filled looks he got from the three forced to share.

"Why am I sharing with them?!" Shikamaru was the most offended.

"Because Sasuke needs to be able to read without being hugged to death. Also, I need to talk to him."

It was a fair point.

Naruto sighed and turned back to the other bed, dropping down dramatically on his back. "I'm going to miss you, Sasuke!"

"Heh, you'll live." Sasuke smiled and glanced at his sad friend. This would be a good break from being cuddled.

The dog boy next to the Uchiha didn't like the situation, but he got up and lazily paced to the other bed. There he dropped down on top of the blond, startling him. "Jesus Christ, Kibbles!"

"Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy."

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto patted Kiba's head lightly, yawning. He had all the time to be mad later, forgetting about his nightmare.

"Are we turning in then?" Shika couldn't go to sleep just yet.

"Anyone who wants to can, I guess. Everyone's had their dinner." Gaara walked over to his respected bed, slipping under the covers. "I'll be up a while."

"So be it. You idiots move over after you straighten the fuck out."

"Why?" the sleepy boys asked in unison.

"Why? Because who the hell sleeps like that?"

The complaining began. Sasuke easily tuned them out. He'd gotten to a part in the story that finally revealed an image and name of the so called knight he'd only recently read details about

Menma.


	22. Knight

' _Menma?!'_  Sasuke pondered the name in his head, questioning why the hell someone would name his friend after such a horrible man. A killer of women, men, and children. From what he had read, this man was comically awful enough that the young made a rhyme about him. As a result, some were forced to sing it before being executed along with their families.

The image did the wretched person justice.

On the website was a repeated pastel like depiction of a towering darkness of steel with two vertical slits in his helmet that brought out bright but deep abyss like eyes that had no empathy. Clouds of murky smoke swirled around his sword and legs up to his hands resting on the handle. In the background, death. Piles upon piles of bodies from every range of life decorated the surroundings. The words to the rhyme were below the nights feet, making the image longer than it needed to be. That was because on closer inspection, it wasn't a simple drawing. It was a mural from one of the rooms in the kingdom.

' _Creepy.'_  Though he thought that, it was a place he'd like to see, but was sure that likely won't happen.

Scrolling down more, he came upon another image of a mural of the same likeness as the first. The difference was that the bodies in the background were replaced with three other knights. There was a side note stating that no image was ever depicted of what the following knights looked like without their armor. What was odder was that below them like the first mural, was a smaller rhyme devoted to them.

It was titled:  _Fear The Four Knights_

_Ishida stole my heart,_

_to fill a void he knew he could not._

_Moriku tricked my mind,_

_so I wouldn't die before due time._

_Toriumi laid claim to my soul._

_I knew my family would never be told._

_Menma had stole each of their lives._

_I lost each loved one before my own eyes._

_These Four Knights are worse than death._

_I'd rather die quick than fear my last breath._

Sasuke swallowed hard and shook off eeriness. He then focused on the picture itself, noticing all wore the same dark armor with varying physical and stance positions.

The shortest one stood close at Menma's right side with a blade in each hand.

Another stood on the left side with some distance. He had shoulder length black hair that came out from under the helmet. He was also the second tallest compared to Menma, holding a bow.

And last but not least in the center in front of the ruthless knight, was the last one. He was crouched with no weapon visible.

That one that was down to the painted glass concrete, had these shining charcoal slitted eyes that literally sent him into flashback panic mode. He nearly closed the laptop hard.

"Sasuke?" Gaara saw that the sudden shift in movement. He placed his book down on nightstand should it be that time.

"It's n-nothing...I mean, well..can we talk now?"

"In a minute," he said as he reached in the drawer of that same nightstand between the two beds and pulled out some ear mufflers. He then tossed them to Nara across from him whom of course caught it though he was busy watching some ant documentary on mute with subtitles.

The ear muffs were swiftly placed over Kiba's ears without raising any alarm to the teen prone against an equally fast asleep blond.

"Thank you, Shika."

"Uhuh." Majority of Shikamaru's focus was on the TV.

Gaara shook his head and went to addressing Sasuke, pushing the laptop back open. "Keep an open mind and your voice down still."

"Okay," Sasuke nodded, speaking softly.

With an index finger, Gaara pointed to the screen at the knight crouched and said, "That is not Kiba. In fact- Hold on, just let me see it." The laptop was handed over onto his lap. For a better view and closer conversation. "Alright, what do you know about these knight?"

"Nothing really besides that weird rhyme. I know that Menma is that one, and that one at the end...looks like.." Sasuke couldn't directly look at the character, nor say such a thing.

"It's okay. That one is Toriumi. He was known to be a very animal-listic knight, often rumored to eat his victims or worse depending on what their leader, Menma, wanted." Gaara didn't have to look at the raven to see the unsettled expression. "Kiba, like the rest of us, were all trained to be a modern example of each one of these knights."

"You mean Kiba can-!"

"No! God, no. We never let it get that far."

"You mean you never let it get that far," Shikamaru chimed in, "I didn't give a damn about any of you for a while."

"Hush and watch your damn ants."

"I'm just being honest."

"Why am I only now finding out about this?! Do all of you have a chance to lose control like that?!" Sasuke brought them back to focus, distraught.

A dip in Gaara's lips lead to the formation of a small frown. "It's really only Kiba. His trigger was parts of his old name. Over the years with us, we have been trying to change the trigger to only when he feels threatened. He's rarely ever afraid unless alone, which is why we didn't tell you. We try to get him to think happy thoughts when he is. So, I have to ask, what happened in there for you to see him like that?"

"Hmm, Neji had me pinned, but that didn't put Kiba in any danger."

"...Neji." Gaara groaned and rolled his eyes, face palming. "I thought Naruto said he shot him."

"He clearly didn't do a good job."

"For once, I agree with you, Shika."

"Wait, Neji was the issue?"

"Yes, Sasuke. Neji, um...he wasn't a nice guy," Gaara tried sugarcoating the whole ordeal. His lover of course wasn't the type.

"The motherfucker is the reason Kiba has Eremophobia."

"Eren..Eremo-what?" Sasuke quirked his head to the side, confused but surprised to see Nara get upset so quick.

Gaara sighed, refraining from displaying his anger so easily. "It's a fear of being alone. Neji instilled this in Kiba whenever he could by getting him in trouble. A means of punishment back then was to be put in the box. It was actually a large wooden shipping crate with holes drilled in. Whoever went in was locked inside for a day or so in a dark room."

"That's terrible!" Sasuke bunched up, hugging his knees to his chest, feeling awful for the poor boy. "Shouldn't he have developed claustrophobia instead though?"

"That's what we thought. From what he told us, it's the thought of no one being around rather than where he could and couldn't move."

"Hmm, mind if I ask why he was punished if it's clear that its Neji fault?"

"Like I said, Obito could wait eons if it meant he'd get what he wanted. He'd also achieve it by any means. He'd never put Kiba in the box, but he'd be the first one he saw when he was let out. Neji was just a pawn to get Kiba's training started."

"Kiba has no idea?"

Gaara shrugged. "Kiba has this blissful state of ignorance that I won't deny that we induce sometimes. It's just that at the compound he was meant to be frighteningly ferocious and then unbelievable docile at only Obito's command like a pet. We've been trying to erase that by making him forget."

"I see, so he can still order him?" Sasuke was worried due to all the right reasons.

"Honestly, I don't know. I will tell you this, Obito shifted Kiba's personality with two words. To attack he'd say, Tori. To stop, he'd say Umi. He was the only one who would never really said the name all at once. I suggest you run no matter what Kiba's reaction if Obito ever addresses him."

Sasuke swallowed hard at how serious the redhead was. "What about when he's afraid like last time?"

"Do whatever you did last time." Gaara laughed uneasily. "We usually restrain him till he calms down. He's very manageable if you practice with him a lot."

"All I said was his name though?"

"His real name?"

"Not at first...then he acted like he didn't do anything."

"That's odd. I must warn you to never try and explain it to him. He goes into denial and then spirals from there to self harm..."

"...!" Sasuke gawked at the nervous smiling ginger. "Gaara!"

"At least he's getting better!"

"I told him that," Shikamaru yawned out, time going on 11:50.

"Hush!"

"What about the rest of you then? If they trained you guys to be like those knights, what were yours like?" Sasuke didn't judge them. He would very much like to know what to expect from now on nonetheless.

"Hmm, my name is derived from the knight, Ishida, whom was known for apathy. I was meant to match that ideal given the circumstances of which I was acquired." Gaara scrolled down the page to the little sections about Menma's other brethren. "No, I'm not going to tell you how I got there until the campfire."

The raven nodded, positive he could wait. "Well, you're not apathetic in the least."

"Thank you! Now, as you know, Naruto was given the name, Menma. He was meant to be our leader, strong, terrifying, and efficient." Gaara had this amusement to his voice. "But, on his first mission, he let Shikamaru lead and it's been that way ever since. He's strong as you know, but not like 'heartless' strong. His problem was having to much heart at first, actually. Terrifying? He can be at times. Efficient? He will get the job done by any means necessary."

"Sounds like you all didn't go by their ideals." Sasuke was right to an extent.

"You'd be surprised. Take Shikamaru as an example. He was named after Moriku. This knight was known for his intelligence. As we have seen, he's very accurate." He waited for a response from the man he'd just outed. He got none. Glancing over, he saw that Nara was fast asleep.

"Does he normally pass out like that?"

"In a conditioned way, yes. So here." Gaara handed the laptop back, saying, "Since he's asleep that lets me know it's late."

"Okay." Sasuke sat the laptop back on his lap again. "Can I stay up for a bit and read up on this more?"

"Sure, just don't stay up to long. We're leaving at or before 6:00 A.M. Your training will take place along the way."

"I'm still training?"

"You see a reason you shouldn't be?"

Sasuke chuckled softly and shook his head. "No, not really."

"Good." Gaara gave a small chortle himself before turning in, leaving the lamp on out of courtesy. "Goodnight, Sasuke."

"Goodnight, Gaara." And like that, he was alone for the remainder of the night, reading up on each small paragraph for each individual background knight. He learned nothing truly new than from what Gaara had summed in a few minutes. It kind of bummed him out a bit that that was it.

Menma was the oldest and only knight with a full story to himself. He was stolen at birth like the others and put under rigorous training in swordsmanship. Come age ten that training turned into an arena in which he fought other kids to live. There he met three other boys he'd spare and make a pact with. When their training was complete, they were each given to a king. All but the second king employed a knight.

He read on to find that Menma fought, slaughtered, and laid waste with those same three boys under their respected kings orders. All were taught that witchcraft was the worst sin against the Father. They killed for him and their kings without question. All of the knights efforts were driven by the hope that they'd one day be allowed to enter the holy temple in which their kings went to praise.

Sasuke would admit he couldn't find empathy for the knights or kings until he thought about Naruto. He thought about that day the blond came back and didn't know anything. Naruto was not his friend then. He was borderline this Menma person. Maybe it was borderline because of the age they acquired Naruto at. Conditioning someone at birth would be a lot easier than a child of ten.

He wondered how someone could do this to children in the first place?! If their mentors were really going by this stupid legend then they tortured these boys just like these knights were brought up. He swelled up with anger and subsided it by looking over his new group of friends. He really cared for all them deeply.

He then caught something glowing out of the corner of his eye. When he looked at it's direction across the other bed, it was gone. Blinking this time, he thought maybe he was only tired and the TV might possibly be buggy. He still didn't turn in. He could read a lot more. He even had a 'few' snacks on this book-y adventure.

Unfortunately there was only one person in that room that was worried about that glow. He was currently on his way to having his own little history lesson as well.

 **~/./~**   _Session #1: Time To Wake Up_   **~/./~**

_Run._

_That's all Naruto had been doing the whole time he was asleep. The three knights from before were pursuing him despite his best efforts to lose them in the darkness. Now out of breath, he came to a stop on his knees. He panted, fist against the colorless ground, screaming to himself,_  'Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!'

_Nothing._

_All he could hear were footsteps and furious men shouting,_  ' **MENMA!'**

_In desperation, Naruto grabbed onto the gem and prepared to take it off. The moment he held onto it, there was a glow in his hands and then a slow clear of the darkness around him._

_Now he was in a field. A vibrant tall grass field surrounded by a fall set forest under a warm light blue sky. His breathing then slowed down and a relieved smile started to come out. As his grip on the gem started to lessen because of his relaxing state, a voice came up behind him._

" _ **I wouldn't let go of that gem, Menma."**_

 _Of course he didn't now. Scared out of his mind, he gripped the gem and then spun around to face the body that that rather calm voice belonged to. He looked the tall, 'Sasuke' look alike figure, up and down. From their flat raven hair to their floral blue yukata. When the man smiled gently at him, he found his unease drifting away._ "Who are you?"

" **Who do you think I am, Menma? Or should I call you, Naruto, in this life?"** _The beautiful man then started to walk towards the teen and past, properly._

"Uhhh,"  _Naruto drawled, thrown off. He assumed he was supposed to follow. He quickly trailed behind, trying not to stare too much._ "I-I guess what works best for you."

" **Well aren't you growing kinder."** _The mysterious male stopped in his tracks and smiled._ " **Time really does change a person."**

"So this Menma guy was real?"  _Naruto halted next to him._ "Or am I having a weird dream because someone's reading that damn legend right now while I'm trying to sleep!"  _he yelled at the sky as if someone on the other side could hear him._

" **Menma."** _He brought the blond's attention back with the distal end of two digits under his chin._  " **My heart, this is not a dream."**

 _Naruto's face tinted a pink and he backed away._ "What?!"

" **Sit with me."**

"Tell me your name."

" **I have many false names now, Menma. Quite the opposite of you of course. Would you prefer the one you're comfortable with in this life?"**

"What do you mean?"  _Naruto stared at the cute older male curiously._

" **I mean you can call me, Sasuke or Hiei. The difference lies within the soul."**

"Difference in soul? But you and Sasuke are very different physically almost and namely too."

" **True, but a rose by any other name and stage, is still a rose in the end. The difference is the shape of the seed."**

 _Naruto didn't buy that mess._  "Forget I asked. I'm going to call you, Hiei! Is that okay?"

" **That's perfectly fine, my knight."** _Hiei guided them to a stone bench facing out towards the colorful forest nearby, sitting down with a proper fold of his hands on his lap._ " **Rest here beside me."**

 _Shrugging, the blond took a seat, thinking what choice did he have. If he was going to be stuck dreaming, he might as well find out why it was of this._ "Whats up?"

" **The sky?"** _Hiei looked at the blond obliviously._

"Har-Har. You know what I mean."

" **No, no I don't. The more time goes on, the more I don't understand you. It makes me sad honestly, and yet, so very happy. "** _Hiei looked down in his mix state of such feelings._

"Wow.."  _Naruto went to apologizing after seeing this._  "I'm sorry!"

" **It's okay, hun. You're getting better at least."**

"Better at what? And why do you keep calling me these pet names? Are you just being nice or...I'm confused..."

 _Hiei nodded, turning slightly to face the teen full of questions._  " **Of course…Your memory resets every time. "**

"My memory resets?"

" **Yes, you forget so you can feel attachment all over again and then loss. For you see, you are just one of the many incarnations of my lover, Menma. As Sasuke is to a lesser extent of myself. You, due to foretold circumstances, are forced to repeat the cost of your actions from our life time."**

 _Naruto quirked a brow and asked,_ "So then why am I seeing you if Sasuke is somewhat you?"

" **That necklace allows you to speak to the dead, and the dead to speak to you. Your Sasuke is merely a replica of me in mind and body, but not soul. He is a different shaped seed with my likeness for the end. Your friends and even your enemies are the same as well."** _Hiei gave him time to take that information in before he went on,_ " **You cannot commune with your past selves threw the necklace though."**

"I'm sorry, again. Why not?"  _Naruto laughed, not sure if he actually wanted to talk to his old selves anyway._

" **Since you are the one cursed, you are not truly dead. Your body dies, but your soul is forced to live on. You are the same shaped seed."**

"Then that means you are...?"

" **Yes, I have long since passed, my love. This is because the witch cursed only you to repeat the day you killed for yourself."**

 _Naruto looked around, contemplating, and then shook his head._ "What you're saying is that I'm supposedly living some drawn out punishment that I can't escape from and I constantly forget, and my friends are pretend versions of everyone else?!"

" **I wouldn't see it like that. You have been proving to be nothing like your old self the more time goes on."** _Hiei placed a hand on the blond's shoulder closest._  " **As for your new friends, they may not truly be us, but they represent the better halves. They've helped you learn the value of life in which you once took for granted over and over again. I don't believe you'd change this much if it weren't for them! This new awakened sense of worth could be good for breaking the curse. I fear you must hurry though, for some things dear to you are changing more than they should as you continue to fall into darkness."**

"...You're telling me I've failed many times?!"  _Naruto, deeply aggravated now, could feel all of his past missed attempts hit him where it left an impact._ "How do I end this?!"

 _Hiei sighed and brought his hand back down. Looking ahead at the shedding trees, he said,_ " **They die."**

"Excuse me?!"

" **A form of us, your new friends, will always die in your curse, for I am the true heir. Now that you know, what will you do?"**

"I won't let it happen,"  _Naruto made that statement from deep within, concerning himself._

" **Should it be?"**

"...I-I don't know."

" **Yes you do."** _Hiei's voice had this mournful air accompanied by shame._  " **You'll kill them all, or someone...Like you always do."**

"Am I supposed to walk away?!"  _He felt anger, purely bottled anger about to burst open_ **.** "They have no right to your life!"  _At that, Naruto stilled._   _Those weren't his words just then, but they were. He looked down, unsure for a few seconds of who he was and if he had control._ "I mean..no right to anyone's lives…"

" **Menma-"**

"Please don't call me that."  _Naruto blamed that name for everything like the body behind it wasn't the one truly responsible._

" **Okay, Naruto. You are constantly at war with yourself like you've always been."** _Hiei tried to approach the blond's raising temper with gentleness in touch again._ " **That doesn't mean you can't win."**

"Don't touch me."  _Naruto got up quickly out of the worried man's reach._  "I'm not Menma. I'm just Naruto! I'm a normal, kidnapped child that's going to avenge the life stolen from me with my best friends!"

" **Then they're already gone!"**

"No they're not! Just tell me how, when, and where! I bet you I can save everyone!"

" **This cycle…."** _Hiei shook his head and then eased himself up off the bench. With a sorrow filled voice, he said,_ " **One will die in a place you've seen and thus shouldn't be, for it will lead to the loss of another life that ends by descent to the sea. The third always loses his life by sudden blade under a bright moon. The last person to go will be the one whose blood relentlessly flows because of someone you'd never assume."**

"Did you- Did you really just give me a riddle again?!"  _Naruto's right eye twitched in annoyance._

" **No, that's just how it always goes in the end no matter the shape, place, or time. You are meant to love us and then lose us. The outline of the events that lead to that point constantly change, but the end result does not. This is to teach you a lesson and discourage you from succeeding…. Why you are getting younger, plus the events are becoming more out of sync...it worries me. Your time might be shortening somehow-"**

"Uhuh, that makes no sense... I'm done with this dream."  _Naruto let go of the gem he'd been holding rather hard. As soon as he did, darkness swallowed him with the last thing he saw being the horrified look on Hiei's face._

" **MENMA!"** _Those enraged voices came from right behind the blond, scaring him into submission to grab the gem again. The darkness warped away and back came the more pleasant scenery of the tall grass and forest._

 _Hiei watched the hyperventilating blond, relieved to see he was okay. He embraced the knight tightly, pleading,_  " **Please be careful, love. As long as you wear that necklace while you're truly asleep, they will haunt you."**

"How come they're not haunting me now?!"

" **If you hold the gem, it allows you to commune with whoever you wish when dreaming. Should you let go and keep it on your person, they can commune with you."**

"I didn't pick anyone to talk to though..."  _Naruto thought about it aloud, breaking away from the hug to see a slight smirk on the older raven's face._ "I didn't!"

" **Deep down, you always do. That's why you hunted down the gem in the first place."** _Hiei chuckled, taking hold of the teen's free hand and leading him down a path._ " **Shame it didn't work for you at first, but what did you expect? When you spill that much innocent blood, the dead isn't so inclined to speak with you. You must truly be changing."**

 _Naruto was pulled along, completely oblivious to whatever Hiei was talking about._ "You keep on saying things I don't understand..."

" **Oh forgive me, my heart. I keep forgetting that you keep forgetting..."**

"Could you tell me why those guys are so pissed at me at least?!"

" **Another time."** _Hiei let the blond's hand go when they came upon the end of the path. He took a side-sitting position on the dirt path with his back to the forest, beckoning._ " **First, you need to rest, my knight. I'm sure this has been a lot."**

"Fine.."  _Naruto was weary anyway, feeling as if he wasn't sleeping at all. Grumbling, he sat down some ways from Hiei and leaned back, resting his head on the raven's lap._

" **Don't be so unsettled! Ah, this always work."** _Hiei went to raking his fingers through tufts of blond hair, smiling when the teen submitted so quickly._ " **Your weakness as always?"**

"Hmph, can't you tell me something?"  _How could he sound intimidating at a time like that. He began to fall asleep rather fast._  "Please tell me this is a bad...dream."

 _Hiei sighed and said quietly,_  " **I wish, my knight. Next time we meet, I'll explain what I can... At the moment, you should try to rest while you can."**

 **~/./~**   _End of Session #1_   **~/./~**


	23. Tell Me

Sasuke remembered falling asleep somewhere around 3:00, which he knew was not a good time since they were supposed to be leaving at 6:00. He thought he could manage after secretly eating a 'few' more snacks. He thought he was safe in his bed and would not be disturbed if they saw how deep under the covers he was. He also thought that he'd get a free pass and sleep in some more.

He thought wrong.

Even now he fought to keep the sheets over his head. His good old friend, Naruto, kept pulling and pulling away. He grumbled under and hid more inside.

"Bud, we have to go! You know your weird and need to shower before you change!" Naruto had a leg up and on down off the bed, yanking one more time on the covers.

"I'm not weird!" Sasuke grumbled again tiredly. He didn't want to get up just yet. His body was aching a little all over. The pains from previous events decided now was a good time to kick in. He heard a door open and close suddenly, bringing in the voice of a relieved Gaara.

"Everything is in the car and allowances are issued. Naruto make sure to give Sasuke his when he wakes up."

"Where's Kiba?" Shikamaru asked, his hair choppy layered and a lot messier in that half up ponytail. His leg was feeling a lot better than the day before. He still needed that stick though, so he used it to get around the room and tidy up.

"He's in the car waiting." The redhead pointed back with a thumb out to the door behind him.

"So he's mad about the earmuffs?"

"You know it."

"Why'd you guys put earmuffs on him anyway?" Naruto succeeded in pulling the covers off the Uchiha. He got a hiss from the teen that made him chortle. ' _Adorable!'_

"We were discussing Toriumi," Gaara informed cautiously and quietly just in case the topic of their conversation was closer than he thought.

"Oh shit...did he- did you see him?!" Naruto panicked, lifting the drowsy teen up. He hadn't seen his pupper friend lose it like that in a long while, nor did he want to start now. It wasn't a pleasant sight for anyone. "I promise you, Kiba is not a monster!"

"Ah! Ah! Okay, stop shaking me!" Sasuke had no choice but to wake up now. "I know he's not! Gaara and Shikamaru explained everything!"

"They did?" He stopped rattling his dizzy bud's brain, thrilled. "You sure you're not afraid of him, or-"

"No, no! He's cool, Naruto! Relax!" Sasuke blinked till his vision cleared. When he could finally see straight, his world was put on pause in a sense where he couldn't understand why at first. The sight of dark hair, abyss like eyes, and non-whiskered skin, troubled him. Of all those features, it was the blond's eyes brought out by that light-less shade of hair that was dazing him the most. It reminded him of that painting way too much...

"Sasuke?"

"Uhhh..your hair?"

Naruto grinned and smoothed his new shade of hair back. "Like it? Shika butchered the hell out of his."

"Ha..ha.." The raven smiled, not liking it at all for reasons he couldn't quite place. "Um, looks good.."

"I don't think it's my color, but eh."

"To bad," Shikamaru said on his way to the front door with his walking stick, "Make him get up and get dressed so you can properly brief him later."

"Oh yeah! Naruto has some information to share with you about a terrible nightmare he had last nig-"

"I'm not a child, Gaara!" Naruto shouted over the teasing, embarrassed by the way Gaara was speaking as such. "And I don't believe it was a nightmare either!"

"Okay, okay. We'll talk more about it in the car." Gaara smiled, tickled.

Sasuke could see that his friend was definitely serious and even a little scared. Only one way to find out why, so he hurried out of bed. "Give me thirty minutes and I'll be ready to go."

"Thirty minutes?! You took a bath last night!" Shikamaru didn't understand the point of bathing the night before just to bathe again in the morning no matter if it was new clothes. "We're trying to leave before or at 6 o'clock, not 6:05!"

"I promise I'll be quick!"

The clever man scoffed, "You mean fifteen minutes quick or ten?"

"...Fifteen." There was no way he was going to get thirty minutes the way they were looking at him, so Sasuke settled for what he could have without being dragged out.

"Wise choice."

"He's right, Sasuke. I mean, you smell great all the time so I don't see the big deal," Naruto said that so casually that he didn't see much wrong with it. Therefore, the raven's flushed face confused him. "What?"

"N-Nothing."

"Thirteen minutes, Uchiha!"

"I'm going!" Sasuke bolted to the bathroom, closing the door behind him in a flash.

"Well that was sudden," Gaara mumbled a loud, "Why is he like that, Naruto?"

"I don't know! He doesn't feel comfortable wearing new clothes and not bath-"

"No, I mean why does he blush around you so much? Even when I first met you guys, you two were awfully close."

"We're friends. Old time friends at that, so I guess it's natural?" Naruto shrugged, hands in his royal blue fraternity jacket pocket. He tried not to think about the older Sasuke and all the pet names and how he liked it a little...

"Gaara, stop poking at them." Shikamaru grabbed the sleeve of his lover's beige sweater and pulled him along out the door.

"Oh so they can tease us but we can't tease them?"

"The level of sass in your voice right now, tone it down."

"What for?"

"Because we won't leave this hotel anytime soon. Now can we please go? Naruto, you wait here for your boyfriend and make sure he eats something for two minutes. We'll be in the car." Shikamaru closed the door with a flustered Gaara against him, catching Naruto stick his tongue out.

"Fucking pervert." Naruto huffed to himself, walking around the beds to the bathroom, knocking on the door. "You good in there?"

"Yeah! Hey, did he say what I think he said?!" Sasuke shouted over the warm shower stream.

"Yesss, you heard that shit too?" The new dark haired teen gossiped playfully, doing the best impression while leaning back against the door to hear the raven laugh. "He's such a pervert, like, o.m.g."

Sasuke went into a coughing fit seconds later, having swallowed some of the incoming sprinkles by accident. "D-Dammit, Naruto!"

"Learn to breathe through your nose!"

"Oh my- Now who's the perv, Naruto!"

"You are! Don't blame me because you can't snorkel."

"...Because I can't what?"

"Have you never snorkeled before, Sasuke? It's real fun!" Naruto grinned, biting his bottom lip to stop himself from laughing and giving away the bait.

' _That's not how that works at all...!'_  Sasuke stood there in shower baffled, double checking his memory. "I'm pretty sure snorkeling has to do with you breathing with your mouth through a tube, not with your nose..."

"Then what you complaining about?"

The Uchiha walked right into. "You are such a- Go away!"

_\::/ Danger Is... \::/_

"We're here." Jiraiya yawned out, pulling to a stop at a nearby gas station on the side of a long country road. Since he'd been driving all night, he was groggy. He leaned over and nudged his comrade hard in their side.

"Nh! The hell?!"

"I said, we're here!"

Obito shifted, ignoring the pain in his side. He then pushed his fedora back on his head. "Perfect. Wait here."

"We'll I'm going to take a nap. You're driving when you get back." Jiraiya kicked open the car door and switched out from the driver's seat to the passenger side. There he got all comfortable, shifting the seat back. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. They opened at the sound of the bell from the store door opening. Then they slowly began to close again. His curiosity kept them partly open. He could see through the store window that was littered completely with medical inducing advertisements, that his older brother was talking to one of their many contacts. Something must have been rather funny because they were laughing quite a lot. ' _Ain't we on a time crunch?'_ he thought to himself, shaking his weary head. Speaking of crunch, he was hungry. Should he go in and make a fuss? Nah, he'd rather starve than get shot. He decided to go through the glove compartment, finding nothing but bills and other crap not edible. Glancing over the dashboard, he saw Obito and the store owner go somewhere else to talk. Scoffing, he rolled his eyes and leaned back, propping a leg up.

A nap was his best bet at controlling his hunger, seeing as though Obito was going to be a whi-Jingle! Jingle!

Out came the accursed man with a little grocery bag and a 24 pack. Coming in on the driver side, he said, "Here, for your terrible chauffeuring."

"Fuck you mean my terrible chauf..whatever the fuck you said?!"

"Why don't you tell me, Jiraiya? Care to explain the blood on the right head light? It's damn near cracked too!"

"Umm.." Jiraiya thought about it, accepting the bag of snacks and stuff. He remembered falling asleep quite a lot during his drive. "I think I hit a deer...or a biker."

"You think?!" Obito asked in disbelief, starting the car. "Did you kill it, or them, at least?"

"I want to say maybe..."

"Good thing it was dark then."

"You ain't going to wash it off?" Jiraiya was just joking, but the way Obito looked at him with that one eye, turned his chortle into a cough. "Alright, alright. I'll get it."

"There's some cleaning crap in the bag," Obito told the drowsy man getting out of the car all. Meanwhile, he opened a protein bar he had in his pocket and took a bite before making a call. "Hello? ….Yeah, we're here... Mhm, you bunch will go there...That shouldn't be a problem…. Trust me, we raised most of these kids. I know all of their mannerisms except for that one…. No, no guns. Then there shouldn't be a problem…. Call me when it's done."

He ended the little chat with another bite from his protein bar, chewing and grinning. He wasn't expecting a call back at all. He so kept going through his phone till Jiraiya came back in the car with none of the cleaning supplies, guessing he threw it trash bin nearby.

"There! Done! Who were you on the phone with?"

"Stage 1." Obito chuckled when Jiraiya looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "I promise everything we're doing now is a part of stage 1."

"Fucking better be! What'd you talk to the cute store owner about by the way?" Jiraiya buckled up before going through the bag, gagging at the healthy choices inside.

"You'll find out sooner or later."

"Uhuh, and why didn't you grab me some fucking Twizzlers or something?! You know I hate this healthy crap!"

"It's good for you. Eat up." Obito put the car in reverse till they were out of the parking lot. He shifted to drive thereafter, speeding off and startling his passenger.

"Fuck! I guess we're in a hurry now!" Jiraiya almost dropped his food and spilled his drink.

"I like to be on time, so you might want to buckle up. I've also found out some pretty interesting information that I think will make you understand my haste."

\::/ …Everywhere \::/

Back on the road again, Naruto had already went through explaining everything he could remember about last night's dream and or revelation. He wasn't surprised that no one believed him.

"I've never had a dream like that, boss. I've been wearing that necklace for years too." Sasuke thought, along with the others, that maybe Naruto was simply having a random nightmare since they were talking about the story behind the legend somewhat last night.

"You can't have a dream like mine because you're not actually Hiei. You can have a feeling and maybe a thought, but you're more like a set piece in my torment!" Naruto tried to get them to understand the best way he could. He knew it was far fetched. If there wasn't such a familiar feeling burning within him, he probably would have dropped it. "Your adorned with what you need to make the scene but that's it. Does that make sense? "

Shikamaru understood what he meant and sure as hell didn't like it. "Naruto, if what you say is true, then that means that because we are minor 'set pieces' for your eternal-whatever-purgatory, we will suffer for your mistakes regardless of what we do. "

Everyone let that sink in.

"That's a terrible curse." Gaara mumbled, worried about the possibility of it even being true. "Shouldn't we not have souls then since we're only some piece?"

"I don't know... That's why his dream bothers me. It's awfully detailed." Shika looked off to the side at the long road ahead, racking his brain over this. "We know damn well Naruto doesn't read so how does know about Hiei?"

"HEY! Fuck you Shikam-Ah, actually you're right. I hate reading." Naruto laughed at himself, catching Sasuke shaking his head. "What? It just goes to proof! Where else could I have heard it from?"

"Maybe he heard it at the compound at some point?"

"That's a chance, Gaara. He covers his ears every time someone talks about the legend, remember? He can't stand...it." Shikamaru glanced up at the mirror, not one for superstition and such but this was getting kind of weird. "Quick question, Naruto, which king is Hiei the son of?"

Sasuke raised his hand, having gotten to that part and then some last night. "Me, me, me!"

"No, Sasuke. Though I'm happy you read that much, this is for Naruto."

Naruto faltered and shrugged. "I didn't ask."

"Next time you go to sleep, ask. While you're at it, ask him where the kings kept the oracle. I'm thinking it's somewhere in the castle or the temple." Shikamaru considered the possibilities of their lives being repeats. Should such be the case, then some things considered impossible might be just as real.

"Got it." Naruto nodded, determined.

"Great, so where you want to drop Sasuke off?"

"Say what now?" Naruto arched a brow at the drivers question.

"If he is the heir, don't you think he should be far away from you, and especially us since we're on the hit list too?" Shika glimpsed up at the rear view mirror to the second youngest in the back.

Sasuke pouted, believing his friend had a bad dream is all so there was no need for him to go. He said nothing though and looked on curiously at the new dark haired teen deep in consideration.

Naruto responded with the best answer he could think of, "Well, how long will it be before our mentors figure it out if we just dump him after we've been keeping him with us for so long?"

"I'll agree to disagree because there in lies another issue. Shouldn't his parents be trying to kill us?"

"Why would his parents be trying to kill us?!"

"You really haven't read a damn thing- The kings sacrificed their last heir, Naruto. Menma kills them all because he was in love with Hiei. After that, the rest of the knights are hunted down and killed. The day you killed for yourself, killed everyone close to you! The curse embodies the end result of your actions. This is what you're supposedly cursed to repeat, watching everyone die!"

Naruto let out an exasperated sigh upon hearing that small summary of the backstory from Nara. Internal anger spiking for a second. "Then maybe one of our mentors is related to him instead!"

"Hmm. It is rumored that Hiei wasn't the only boy on the first king's side. I find that hard to believe though, so which of our mentors could it be?" No one gave Shika an immediate answer. He could see almost everyone was thinking. The only person not participating in their conversation was the clear faced, grumpy pupper teen lying on the middle row all by himself on his phone with headphones in. He reached back behind him and yanked one of the earbuds out of the teen's ear. "Kiba, participate!"

"Why should I?! There's clearly things you guys don't want me to know!" Kiba snapped back with a roll of his eyes.

"Do you really want to know what we were talking about?" The driver got an idea, playing his comrades emotional like nature to their advantage.

"Maybe.." He was mad and yet all the more curious nonetheless.

"Sasuke is the heir," Shika said flat out, grinning at the childish teen's gawking state.

"Wah- How?!" Kiba took out his other headphone piece and sat up, looking from the front to the back in shock. "You're joking!"

"Nope, found out last night." Shikamaru technically wasn't lying since Naruto did 'find out' last night in his sleep. He could see the ginger shaking his head out of the corner of his eye, so he dragged him into it. "Right, Gaara?"

Gaara glared at the driver for a short second. He didn't like to lie, but he found a way around it. "Yup, it was a nightmare."

"Are you sure? Why is he still with us then?!" Kiba was dumbfounded.

"It was a dream! That's why we didn't tell you, Kibbles!" Naruto didn't really expect the chocolate haired teen to act like that. He played along anyway. "I believe it could be true!"

"I still agree to disagree." Shikamaru raised a hand fleetingly.

"Do I have a say?" Sasuke raised his own palm. The answer he got was a resounding, "No." Smiling, he put his hand back down. They all knew he didn't want to go anywhere without Naruto. Which was disturbingly true to the extent that if they shipped him off without him knowing somehow, he'd always find his way back.

It was truly inevitable.

"Anyway, Kiba, we were talking about who Sasuke could be related to then based on this nightmare. I'm thinking, Obito." Gaara was linking the shade of their hair together.

"Ooooh! They do favor a little." Kiba sat up on his knees, facing the back row seats. "Black eyes are common though."

"We know it can't be the old rat or my mentor. Both would of bragged." Nara steered with one hand, the other he used to scratch the back of his head.

"It sure as hell isn't Kakashi either. He's the last of his family line is what he always told me." Naruto leaned back against the seat, pondering more.

Sasuke hadn't seen their mentors yet so he couldn't really help. He did know his family and that name wasn't on the list. His mother did have a missing sibling whose name didn't coincide with either of their mentors . He began to think maybe the last name did. "What's Obito's last name?"

"We don't know." Gaara frowned a little. "We don't know any of their last names actually."

"Hell, I'm pretty sure none of us believe they were using their real names anyway," the driver spoke the truth.

Sasuke stayed silent and listened to them to talk because very much like the story he was reading, there were holes in timelines that didn't make sense and pieces missing. Maybe the answers to their questions were somewhere at the kingdom itself. "Hey guys, how long till we get to the ruins fair?"

"You mean to the compound beside it? Another day or so if we keep on track. It would have been a day if we'd taken the plane but we can't so here we are." Shikamaru sighed, bummed about it. He got over it real quick when he glanced down and saw his Twizzlers pack in the soda holder. The moment he reached for it, his hand was smacked. "Ow! Why do you keep doing that like I'm a child?!"

"Focus! If it's between Obito and Orochimaru, who would you lean more to?"

"Twizzlers."

"What?!" Gaara couldn't help the chuckle that escaped.

"I want my Twizzlers. It helps me think."

"Half the pack is already gone!"

"And?"

"Your lunch-able wasn't eaten this morning."

"...and?" Shikamaru was in love with Gaara for many reasons, flaws included. The ginger's inconsistency to follow his own rules was his favorite.

While they were busy not focusing, Naruto was giving Sasuke some ground rules of his own that were bound to be followed. Thus, completely off track too.

"First rule, you stay by my side or one of theirs! You're not allowed to go anywhere alone. Kiba, if I'm out, you protect him!"

Kiba nodded confidently, staring at Sasuke in a way to serious manner, making the raven snicker. "It's not funny, Sasuke! You could die, prophecy or not!"

"For some reason, I don't feel like I will with you guys around."

"It's that type of thinking that will get you killed!" Naruto grabbed a hold of pale shoulders and shook the amused teen once. "We are your line of defense, but we shouldn't be the last!"

"Ah! Okay, Naruto, okay!" Sasuke smiled out of the serious air. "Then what should I do?!"

"Train!" Naruto proclaimed, driven as hell. "Gaara! Stop feeding Shikamaru and help me out here!"

Caught, not embarrassed anymore, he continued. "Give me a second. Open your mouth, Shika."

Shikamaru got a tiny bit heated at that demand. He did as told and accepted the flimsy red delight and then carried on driving. He kept telling himself that didn't just happen so he'd calm down.

"Let me know when you want another." Gaara wasn't being seductive in the least which made it all the more so to the driver. He then unbuckled his seat belt and went to climbing to the back, pushing Nara's head to the side somewhat. "Keep your eyes on the road."

"Sure thing." He obeyed, candy disappearing inch by inch.

Kiba moved over for the eldest comrade to have a seat beside him. "Want me to get the blindfolds?"

"Sure thing! First, I'd like to go over something with Sasuke." Gaara got comfortable, an arm over the seat. "I'll dismiss the first bit of your mission since it's a sensitive topic. Also, sorry I missed your call! Second, the aftermath concerns me. You said Neji had you pinned down, how? "

Sasuke smiled sheepishly, embarrassed. Feeling like it was a test, he spoke rather fast, "Well, when we crashed in that place, Naruto was down. I tried to find a way out, but all the exits were boarded up from the outside. Then I-I kind of shouted and Neji heard me! He broke in through the back. I hid Naruto behind one of the stations and tried to call you guys but it was to late and-"

"Sasuke, remember to breathe!" Gaara instructed the speedy talking raven, vocally and physically with a elevation of his hand up and down. "You're not in trouble! I simply want you to learn something from this."

"Mhm." Sasuke nodded, breathe slowly easing on down.

"You okay?" The oldest made sure of this before he moved on, observing the the raven carefully.

"Yeah!"

"Alright, now I'm going to ask you a few more questions to see if you paid attention to where you were. What type of building had you fallen into?" Gaara waited patiently, and mindful not to berate to much.

"Um, an abandoned restaurant perhaps." Sasuke sat attentively, ready for the next query.

"That's right! There were two big parts to the building." Gaara emphasized with the same number of fingers up. "Now, why did you hide Naruto in the back where Neji was coming in at? He clearly couldn't get in through the front. That would have bought you some time to board things up if you could."


	24. Haunted or Hunter

That stumped Sasuke. ' _Why didn't I do that?'_  He fiddled with his fingers and self reflected. He chucked it up to a spur of the moment ordeal in which he panicked. "I'm sure I freaked out. I didn't think about where would be best to hide him. I just knew I needed to."

"What did freaking out nearly get you?" Gaara wasn't being mean in any sense. More so, he was trying to make a point.

"Killed…" Sasuke mumbled, head down.

"Correct again. If Neji wasn't such a monologue-r like my mentor, you would have been dead." Gaara counted that as a lucky feature for them. His former mentor had many more wretched traits that could easily top that one.

"I'm sorry! I had my gun but I couldn't-"

"You actually went for your gun?!" Naruto butted in, proud, never really having faith that his friend would have ever considered it in the first place.

"That is unexpected. I'll give you that, Sasuke." The redhead added a little clap to that accomplishment.

Sasuke felt a tad better about himself. That didn't last long.

"However, you were still surrounded by other utensils and means of avoiding him. I understand you couldn't run, but you shouldn't have tried to defend. If you wanted to attack you should have the moment he came through that door or during. His arrogance could have been your victory." Gaara gave him ultimatum after ultimatum. "You could have hid Naruto somewhere and then hid yourself somewhere else to get the drop on him."

Sasuke listened to each and every other choice of action he could have taken. He came to an understanding that the oldest wasn't trying to call him stupid. All he was doing was explaining how in a frightful mindset, the simplest solutions can be forgotten.

"I don't believe Neji would have killed Sasuke, Gaara. Sakura told us Kakashi wants him personally." Naruto was confident of that till he thought about it. "Unless Neji never told him..."

"Exactly," Gaara said with a nod to Kiba to get the blindfolds. "Always assume the worst when it comes to our mentors."

"That's an awful way to live," Sasuke thought a loud, hearing a small laugh from the ginger teacher.

"Yet, you could live." Gaara was right on some levels. He accepted the green blindfold from the pupper lad and then gave it to Sasuke.

Kiba kept his own black blindfold and put it on, patiently waiting in excitement.

"Oh, oh! Can I help?" Naruto begged, thrilled when he wasn't shot down.

"Sure! You snap then I snap."

Sasuke got what that meant after he secured his blindfold over his eyes. Someone, surely Naruto, snapped their fingers right next to his ear, leading him to wince out of reflex. "Really, Naruto?"

"That's not fair, bud. How do you know it wasn't Gaara?!"

"You're right next to me!"

"It was me actually, Sasuke." Gaara smiled, catching Naruto shout, 'HA!', in the ravens ear. "Stop it. He's not supposed to guess who it is, just the direction."

"You guys are going to give me a damn headache doing that then. Kiba, loan me your cell and headphones." Shikamaru held up a free hand to the back.

"I can't see, Shika!" Kiba felt around on himself, finding the front of black jean jacket pocket and pulling out his headphone wrapped cell. He waved it around midair to find the drivers hand, being childish.

Gaara saw this and eventually helped them after watching that struggle for his own enjoyment. "Here."

"You know I saw you, right?" Shikamaru smirked at the redhead from the rear view mirror.

"Pay attention to the road," he responded with an orderly snap of his fingers to the asphalt ahead.

"You two done flirting?" Naruto called them out again, smiling at Gaara's peeved look his way.

"What are they doing? What I miss?" Sasuke looked around like a nosy blind bird. He could hear them laugh, but not sure to what.

"It's nothing. Focus!" Naruto chuckled, snapping his fingers once.

"There!" Sasuke pointed way off, to eager.

And so, Kiba beat him to it. "There!"

"You missed, Sasuke." Gaara then took a turn. He snapped his fingers more towards Naruto.

"There!" Sasuke jabbed that digit right against Naruto's cheek.

"Ow!" Naruto grimaced, seeing that as karma for yelling in a pale ear earlier.

"Sorry!"

Kiba was too busy laughing to himself to point the right way. "He got you, not blondy?"

"Your listening to damn hard, Kibbles!"

"Boy's stop," Gaara pleaded, though humored himself, "Pay attention!"

"I am. They're the ones playing!" Uzumaki took the chance for some payback disregarding his own complaints and snapped his fingers near Kiba. His attempt failed as he was poked was again in the neck this time. "Ah-w! Sasuke, seriously?!"

"Sorry, boss!"

"You did that on purpose?!"

"Did I?" Sasuke smirked, tempted to do it again.

"YOU!" A tiny play-fight commenced with Naruto and his buddy in the back.

Gaara groaned and face palmed with his right, glancing up front where he caught the driver laughing at the failed training session. "Think it's too early, Mr. Giggles?"

"No, not at all. I personally think you can't be serious enough at times, Mr. Fluffy," Shikamaru said ever so casually, putting back in the right side earbud he'd taken out beforehand. He zeroed in back on the road, knowing he'd hit the right button to help the ginger out.

_\::/ Goofed \::/_

Gaara got them back on track and then some. All it took was for him to get a little physical with asserting his authority as one would do to their unruly child or siblings in the back constantly kicking the front seat, throwing things, and calling other people names. These teens weren't doing those things, but they weren't listening or behaving any better till some time ago. Since that little breaking point, everything went super well as he neared his last test run.

He gave one more snap of his fingers towards the window. The rushing wind from open windows and the car engine, helped obscure the light sound.

"There!"

"Correct, Sasuke!" Gaara gave him that because he did point in the right direction though not the right height. Also, Kiba had fallen asleep a long time ago so he had no real competition accept Naruto who was only better by default.

"There!" Naruto called out anyway, more on target than Sasuke.

"Wrong, Naruto." Gaara teased, having some fun.

"No I'm not!"

"You're right."

"What?" Naruto's brain shut off and switched back on a second later. "Ohoho, you bastard!"

"Mhm, take your blindfolds off. We're done," he announced with as much relief as they had taking them off, "Congratulations by the way, Sasuke! You've won three more than last time!"

"Woo!" Sasuke cheered briefly, handing the cloth back. Looking over, he saw Kiba knocked out against the window, blindfold still on. "Why'd he go to sleep like that?"

"Car rides make him drowsy which is why he's always on his phone." Gaara leaned over and slipped the last one off of Kiba, regretting it when the teen shifted all the way onto him, clinging. "Dammit."

"If you wake him up he's going to start cr-"

"I know, Naruto!" The ginger groaned and sat there helplessly.

"I can take your place if you want?" Sasuke didn't mind, he'd gotten use to the clingy-ness by now.

Example A: Naruto hugged onto to his friend, feeling betrayed. "But I'm here?!"

"You have your own man-child to look after."

"I am not a man-child, Gaara! Sasuke's just as clingy as me...When he was a kid at least...He's a little tamed now-ish," Naruto rambled on, embrace loosening, "Which is weird actually. Hey Sasuke, how come you don't like me hugging you now?!"

"We're much older…?" Sasuke blushed, not sure how to better come out and say it.

"...Your point is?"

"Oh my god, Naruto." Gaara shook his head, departing from that conversation. "Shika, should we stop for gas soon?"

The driver took out an earbud piece and said, "Huh?"

"I asked if we should we stop for gas. How loud do you have that music?!"

"Loud enough," Nara said, nonchalantly, and held up an empty Twizzlers bag, "We need gas and more snacks."

"I knew we should of filled it up before going to the hotel." With a roll of emerald eyes, he turned to the others and asked, "Who else here needs a quick special snack?"

Why did he even ask?

"ME!" Kiba sprouted awake at the topic of food.

"I'm going to make a stop at Z&H's station then." Shikamaru made a left turn down another long and open country road. "It's the closest so we'll get back on the road quicker."

"That's great! We won't have to wear those dumb hats either." Gaara had a little celebration all to himself inside. The covering or dying of his hair was not welcomed in the least. He then said sarcastically, "It would be nice to see Haku too!"

"Haku? Is she another person like Shino whom you guys know?" Sasuke asked, curious is all.

"Unlike Shino, I actually know Haku and Zabuza! We do business with them. They're real good a keeping secrets despite the fact they can't get along half the time," Naruto boasted, going through his jacket pocket for Sasuke's spending allowance he'd forgotten to give. "Haku's still absolutely beautiful too by the way."

Gaara simply shrugged and said, "He's definitely a little devil model in the making."

"He?" Sasuke quirked his head to the side, having assumed Haku to be a girl from the way his old friend talked about them.

"He could pass as a girl," Naruto said to the raven, busy still searching his pockets for that envelope.

"Zabuza was like his buff boyfriend from what I remember!" Kiba shivered at the thought, wrapping his arms around himself. "He's like way to strong, but kind like his dog."

"He's not that strong, Kiba. You just don't like his hugs."

"He hugs like a damn bear, Gaara! It's almost like a show of dominance or something!" Shikamaru winced as if his back hurt already.

"Ignore them, Sasuke! You'll love his hugs." Gaara reassured the raven who was absent from the talk for a second.

"Uhuh." Mainly, Sasuke was worried about this Haku person. His good old friend seemed to really think highly of them with no real interest. Ever heard someone call someone else cute but they did it in such a way where it was clearly just a compliment but you can't help but wonder and so on and son. This is what he was going through. He wondered about it, but he wasn't sure.

"I think- Found it! Here, Sasuke! Your spend." Naruto handed the thoughtful teen his share of the expenses. "Sasuke?"

"Hm? Oh, thank you" He accepted his little allowance and folded it, placing it in his gray pants pocket.

"You don't want to see how much it is?" Naruto received no answer, so he poked him in the shoulder. "Sasuke? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Sasuke mumbled, glancing at his buddy before turning to look out the window. Why he was stuck wondering about this Haku person, he had no idea. He knew he didn't like him. He had no idea why since he didn't feel that way initially. It was probably petty jealousy. He'd never admit that allowed. "I think I'm hungry is all."

"Did you eat after your bath?" Gaara asked, sincerely.

"Mhm."

Kiba looked over the seat to the back. "Perhaps you didn't eat enough."

"We've got emergency road snacks, don't we?" Naruto unbuckled, ready to go dig in the trunk.

"We did...but someone has late night munchies." Gaara didn't look at anyone in particular when he said that.

"...You still anxiety eat?!" Naruto turned right back around to the redhead, shocked. "I thought you'd grown out of that by now!"

"It wasn't me!" Gaara faltered, nerves shot a little from that old bad habit being spoken aloud so carelessly.

"Oh really, then who was it?"

"It was me." Sasuke raised a hand, looking down to hide his shame. "I'm sorry! I didn't think I ate that much!"

"You only ate a good portion. It's alright. I just wonder where it goes." Gaara tilted his head slightly to the side, drawing a blank.

"I've got a few guesses." Naruto snickered to himself till he realized he said that aloud. He then coughed and avoided all their incriminating looks. "Shika! We there yet?!"

"You dug that grave yourself." Shika popped another Twizzler in his mouth. "Time to lie in like a man"

 _\::/_ _Prepared_   _\::/_

In Naruto's defense, that wasn't an insult and it was meant to stay inside. Good thing everyone was kind of used to it by now. They berated him and moved on. Some of them did that is. The raven was to red faced to look at him. Naruto couldn't exactly face him either.

It was such a nice and quiet hourly drive after that. When they arrived at the gas station, the driver parked by a pump and then placed the cell and headphones in the cup holder with a glance to the back that scared the hell out of him. "Fuck..."

"Forgot we were here?" Gaara smirked, unbuckling his seat belt so he could stretch right quick.

Shikamaru watched him from the rear view mirror and shrugged. "More like I was in my own world."

"You don't say?"

Nara prepared to get out of the car, feeling good about walking without the stick for bit. "I do say? That's the whole point of I why I said-"

"Shikamaru I don't have time for your smart-ass-ness right now. I need something to drink." Gaara smiled anyway, pushing his car door open.

"Me too! So, Kiba, move it!" Naruto kicked at the pupper teen's seat once.

The lovely redhead was instantly triggered and wasn't so pretty for a second. "Naruto, kick my car again and I'll break that leg with it."

"Ah, sorry!" He flinched as if the punishment was going to commence then. Peaking over his raised arms, he saw that Gaara had gotten out of the car already, Kiba following. "Thank god."

"Serves you right...pervert." Sasuke pushed the seat before him down. Moments after he prepared to get up, he sat back down quick. "I think you should go first!"

"Oh my-fine!" Naruto grunted out, pushing past his cautious buddy and out the car. There he waited, stretching his legs out a bit. "Might want to be careful. We've been sitting a while."

"I'll be fine!" Orthostatic hypertension hit him like a brick when he tried to step over the folded seat and out the car, beginning to fall out. "Naruto!"

"Gotcha!" Naruto caught his buddy mid-abdomen and helped him get the rest of his body out of the car. "Told you."

"Whatever! Is it safe for me to go inside?" Sasuke fixed his clothes, taking in the sight of the old building that was decorated with rust, vines, and garbage on the ground outside. Their own sign was completely busted as the, &, symbol being the only thing lit. There was only one gas pump and parking was clearly wherever because there was no markings, only dirt. Onyx eyes tracked scenery back to the store and the trash bin, seeing a stained white cloth sticking out. He wasn't sure if it was a red soda stain or-

"Would I have let you out of the car if it wasn't?" Naruto grinned, stealing the raven away from his wondering. "You're safe!"

"Sure, let's just go before they get done and leave us." Sasuke put his worry to rest and pulled his not so blond friend along into the questionable gas station.

Inside, pass the large square window tacked on with adds, everyone but them were pretty much scattered about searching for their own things or conversing. He and Naruto went directly over to the chips, both reaching for the same bag.

"No fucking way." Naruto stared at his friend with high interest.

Sasuke smiled and nodded. "Yes way."

"Salt and Vinegar?!"

"That's the winner." He didn't know if the face Naruto had was one of amazement or remembrance. Likely it was a mix of both. "Boss?"

"Guys! I found my soulmate." Naruto announced to the world, hugging the blushing raven and picking him up off the ground, spinning for a second.

"You did what?" Kiba poked up from a different aisle, arms full of candy, jerky sticks, honey buns, ect. Junk food for days.

"He likes salt and vinegar chips!" Uzumaki treated this news like it was the foundation of love itself.

Gaara could be heard gagging near the coffee machine. "Please don't eat that crap in my car. The smell is just-ugh! I'll throw up immediately."

"You guys keep your voices down," Shikamaru ordered, half smiling, "I can't hear anything Haku's saying!"

"That's very much all right. I'm sure you all need to let loose. The road is a treacherous place. " Haku, a beautiful young man with long deep brown hair, had a hint of very subtle malice in his voice that the one intended to hear such, obviously picked up on alongside that drilled phrase.

"Why is it treacherous?" He kept his cool fairly well, playing with a scratch ticket.

"Because one's past can come back to haunt us. All it needs is a path-"

"-and in its wake lay destruction and wraith." Shikamaru finished it off for the weird, smirking, pretty guy. He then calmly slid over his finished scratched ticket. "I won twenty."

"What luck you have, Shikamaru-kun!" Haku took the ticket over to the cash register.

"I don't deal in luck. Where's Zabuza?"

"My Zabuza is currently under the weather at the moment." A ding from the cash register followed after his empty voice. Soon he came back over with the twenty in hand. "Do you feel prepared?"

"Just give me my money." He held his hand out, busy looking around to the back for the man supposed sick.

"Guess not." Haku smiled and stepped in his view, placing the bill in the customer's hand.

Shikamaru's defenses kicked in when something cold and firm touched his palm. He immediately dropped it and stepped back. The bill fell to the counter with a clink. He looked up to the smiling store owner then down to the bill that must have had something taped to the other side. He flipped it over and there entrapped was a key. Specifically a key of the likeness they'd just stolen not to long ago but it had an O on the mid shaft engraved. Tapping his fingers on the counter, he looked back up at Haku, a twitching smile. "Where's Zabuza?"

"Is everything okay?" Gaara had heard the noise, sipping his down the rest of his coffee.

"We're fine, Gaara-Chan! He keeps asking for Zabuza and I keep telling him," Haku said as he turned his attention back to a ticking Nara, "he's sick."

"BULLSHIT!" Shikamaru's fist struck the counter before he reached over and grabbed Haku by his turtleneck and pulled him over some. "What did he do to him?!"

"A-Ah, stop it Shikamaru!"

"Cut your fucking act!" He snarled at the faker who could summon tears on cue.

"Nara!" The redhead could only see the back of the situation, and so assumed his partner was stepping out of bounds again.

"Not now, Gaara! Get them back to the car!"

"But why?!"

Sasuke, Naruto, and Kiba, watched huddled over by the drink freezers in the back. All wondering what the hell was going on.

"I said get them back to the-!" Shikamaru's words ceased at a cold sharp steel of a kitchen knife at his throat. It didn't scare as much as the key.

"You know the only reason any of you are alive right now is because he needs you to be," Haku said, quietly and sweetly between them with a pinch of spite.

"Or," another much deeper and rugged voice came up from the back, "they're lucky!" The holder of such a tone eventually made a limping appearance. A big lumberjack like man with rough hair spiking over a bandanna, marched his way out to them around the counters. His twisted little lover thus quickly hid the knife.

"You shouldn't be up, dear."

"Yet here I am! Now go to the back!" Zabuza coughed hard, pushing on as Haku fussed and left. He then pulled Shikamaru away from the counter and shoved the man towards the exit. "You all need to get the hell out of here!"

No one moved.

Sasuke hid further behind Naruto who was already moving to shield him anyways, dropping his stuff to the floor.

"Why are you guys acting like this?" Gaara put down his now empty coffee cup, turning back with his arms crossed. "I thought we were all good no matter what happened?

"You of all people should know, Ishida." Zabuza groaned, glancing at the ginger. In that single moment, he saw something that made him double take and stay on the sweet young man. It was the coffee cup. For a split second, he displayed a state of shock and concern before focusing on Shikamaru who indeed saw the glaring problem.

"Gaara-"

"You brats seriously need to get out of my damn shop now! That includes the rich brat hiding behind the dog! " Another hint. Zabuza hustled over back behind the counter and grabbed his shotgun from under the register counter. "I will not repeat myself!"

Gaara wanted to talk it out of course, but he was pulled away by Shikamaru in a hurry. Where Shika went, the other boys followed. They all left the store, that jingling going off again as they were forced to keep up with him. "Nara! What are you doin-"

"Please shut up, please!" Shikamaru sounded so desperate that the redhead actually did. He led them all around back to the sweet dog that Zabuza owned.

"What's going on, man?" Naruto caught up with him, jogging at this point.

"Watch him!" He left Gaara to Naruto's care and went down on his knees into the dog house, leaving them all dazed. Inside he found the little chihuahua asleep. Dangling from its collar was a little vile. He unhooked it with ease and hurried back out fast.

"Shikamaru, you better not be harassing that...d-dog...sooo..um?" Gaara batted his eyes from experiencing an onslaught of dizziness and slurred speech. He started tilting forward some, a hand at his forehead and the other on Naruto's shoulder.  _'Why do I feel like I've been...dammit!_  The void decided right then that it was time they got acquainted.

"Shit!" Naruto was there to support the fainting ginger, figuring out the issue a little late but there. He shifted down to the ground to make this easier, helping Nara quickly get the vile's contents emptied down the poisoned man's throat, holding a hand over the mouth and nose to force him swallow.

Kiba moved to his knee's to help support their comrade's head, frightful for the worst while the raven merely froze.

' _What just...'_ Sasuke gulped, not sure if what was happening was real. Unfortunately, there was no movement coming from the oldest. Denying this, he thought perhaps he couldn't see too well since he was so far back and Shika was now holding Gaara rather tightly.

"Is...Is he breathing?" Naruto sat there on his knees, fist balled, waiting and rocking back and forth. His emotions building from a deep primal rage sparking inside. He'd been through this before, but it wasn't here that he would experience loss.

"I don't hear anything-"

"He's fine, Kiba! He's okay!" Shikamaru cut him off, holding their comrade closer, entangling his fingers in cherry hair. His denial of death stemmed from the fact that Haku was right. "Obito needs us alive," he repeated that about five times under his breath.

A minute later, he heard a faint cough and voice near his ear ask, "H-How'd you know it was with the dog?"


	25. Haunted

"Gaara!" Shikamaru hugged on tighter than possible and buried his face in the ginger's neck. This display of joyous solace, signaled to the others that everything was okay.

A dog pile expressed in embraces commenced.

"A-Ah! Boy's back off a second!" Gaara pleaded out softly, stuck in between three guys and then a sudden fourth that almost brought them all to the ground. "Sasuke!"

"I'm happy you're okay!" Sasuke nuzzled from around Naruto, carefully.

He smiled and shook his head the best he could. He thought them all silly. He also needed air more than love right now. "I-I can barely breath, gentlemen!"

It was a good ten seconds later before he got his wish, surrounded by them still in case he got dizzy.

"Thank you!" Gaara coughed into his left forearm, accepting the help up off the ground from his friends.

"How are you feeling?" Naruto asked rather abruptly, anxious.

"I'm good, Naruto."

"You sure?"

"Positive," Gaara said with a wince from the aggressive cuddle the blond cast on him. Sighing, he petted black hair. "Calm down already."

"Just give me another minute!"

"I need like five." Kiba latched on too from behind.

Shikamaru looked on at this childish display in a faked well-tempered like manner, hands in his pockets. He was no better off inside emotionally. He could feel his heart nearly beating out of his chest before it turned into a light knocking. "Think you'll be good on the way back to the car?"

"Definitely as long as Sasuke doesn't jump me too." Gaara smiled and jested, arms bunched in thanks to the two bodies around him constricting his movement.

Sasuke prided himself for not giving into the impulse then. "I'll be good!"

"Then let's go before Haku realizes what Zabuza did." Shikamaru led them all back to the car, chuckling at how Gaara was aided into the passenger seat like he'd broken every bone in his body. "I think he can walk just fine."

"You of all people should be more concerned!" Naruto accused, buckling up the oldest with care like he was a child instead.

"Yeah!" Kiba fussed too, bringing a pillow from the trunk and putting it behind Gaara' head. "Comfy?"

"Yes, boys, thank you..." He was grateful, but this was beginning to be a little too much. His seat was then let down without warning. He reached out of reflex and grabbed a hold of the driver's wrist, pupils dilated.

Shikamaru smiled inside and started the car back up once everyone was in their seats. "You sure you okay?"

"Mhm," Gaara mumbled nervously, slowly adjusting and making sure no one else was going to try to assist him. "You never answered my question, by the way."

"Hm?"

"About the dog, how'd you know?"

Shika shrugged, speeding off a little. "He said Sasuke was hiding behind a dog. That was not the truth at all."

"Guess I was to busy worrying about why he was being so mean." Gaara massaged his forehead, fighting back nausea.

"Who poisoned the coffee then if not them?" Sasuke spoke up from the back, avoiding a certain not so blond who was trying to search through the bags in the trunk for something to snack on.

"Zabuza said that Gaara should know. That means Obito was there." The driver glanced at his passenger in shotgun, double checking to make sure he was okay.

"Well that didn't take him long to figure out what we did. I suppose that coffee wasn't meant for me me then." Gaara rolled his eyes, annoyed at the illness surfacing.

"We both drink coffee so it was 50/50 either way. I'm pretty sure he intended that for me too," Shikamaru's voice led on that he was explaining it more to himself than anyone else.

"You have doubts?" Gaara could hear it and see such on his face.

"I...I don't understand why he wouldn't wait to catch us there himself. We were literally vulnerable then..."

"Maybe he's afraid of you guys?" That question would of never arose from Sasuke's mouth or escaped his mind if he knew.

"The road is a treacherous place," Shikamaru quoted the start of the phrase to give the raven and example of what real conditioned fear is. Like a well oiled machine, the others followed suit, having it beaten in them to do so.

"Why is it treacherous?" Naruto asked, expelling a relieved sigh after coming back down in the seat with a small bag of chips. He then began to open the bag as if he didn't say anything.

Sasuke moved to question this, but Kiba had something to say in a drilled-like trance.

"Because one's past can come back to haunt us." The pupper teen reached upfront, oblivious, and grabbed his cell out of the cup holder.

"All it needs is a path and in its wake lay destruction and wraith." Gaara hated that he felt compelled to participate, reminding him he wasn't close to being free yet.

Shikamaru watched the raven's confused expression up in the mirror, knowing it was about to be a lot worse. "We are not, the haunted. We are the hunter. Luck is an excuse for the unprepared. Do any of us feel lucky?!"

Sasuke jumped in surprise when Naruto shouted out of nowhere, "Hell no!"

Kiba laughed out, "Hah, no!"

"No," Gaara filed in, a hand over his mouth to hide he was biting his lip in an attempt to stop himself from responding.

"No… You see that, Sasuke? We were taught this the moment we reached the compound and raised to suppress everything else. Everything we know comes from him. He takes pleasure in that. To him, we are nothing without them. He will never fear what he created. In their eyes, especially Obito's, we are their game," Shikamaru explained, taking a look at the gas light, "Which is why I'm not considering all that back there was a natural set up...though it seemed to be."

Sasuke frowned, looking to his munching, seemingly untroubled friend next to him. ' _He acts like nothing happened though…'_

Naruto placed another curvy ship in his mouth, perfectly calm, suppressing many things. "You guys think it was a trap then? What for?"

"To mess with us probably. I say it's one of his mind games again. We should use it to our advantage and do what we would not normally do." Gaara held a hand up to the back, snapping his fingers. "Chips."

"Like what?" The driver groaned, knowing they had no choice but to go to another gas station. "I am not walking there."

"You guys can come home with me?" Sasuke knew it was a shot in the dark, but he had try. He figured that the near possible death of one of their friends was pretty damn serious. Foolishly, he thought they felt the same and so, would call it off. "What if there's another set up with another person you guys thought was nice?!"

"Who thought who was nice?" Naruto leaned over and handed the bag to Gaara. "You mean Haku or Zabuza?"

"Haku!"

"No one ever said Haku was nice, bud. He's pretty and spiteful as hell. Zabuza is cool to a fault too." He dropped back down in the seat, licking his lips, feeling thirsty now. "He was probably saving his own skin by helping us."

"Then why'd we go there?!" Sasuke started to see that no matter what, they were truly not bailing on this suicide mission anytime soon.

"Because business is business. I guess we'll have to go somewhere we don't know." Shika sighed and tried to think of some places close by they didn't have a deal in. He had trouble deciding whether that was the right choice or not.

"You think he planned on us to do this?" Gaara picked through the chips, liking the folded ones. "Are you positive he-"

"I'm not!" He didn't mean to shout. He was simply frustrated. "Sorry, just give me a minute," he mumbled over his hand that he used to rub his mouth thoughtfully. His passengers understood and disregarded that little flair. He had many possibilities coursing through his brain. Should they do the expected, or the unexpected? That was likely to be expected too so- One hell of a migraine began to creep in slowly. "I'll think of something…"

 _\::/_ _Lucky_   _\::/_

Obito relaxed there on the hood of the car, peering with one orb out across the street at the gas station that had a nice convenience store hooked onto it. He pulled a chip out of the bag by his side, disgusted when it was a regular flat chip. He put it back and found a folded one, popping it in his mouth before opening a can of beer. His focused eye stayed on the set up over yonder, admiring it for a second. He was kind of...what's the bluntest word.. exhilarated?

He'd received a text from Haku about the successful mind psych and then some. While taking a sip and emptying the can, he thought about one little detail that was odd to him. Moriku reacted poorly in the sense where he showed too much emotion. He chose to dwell on that more, startled seconds later when Jiraiya came tumbling out of the car. "Could you be any louder?!"

"I had a terrible fucking nightmare." Jiraiya laughed it off still, fumbling up off the ground and over to get on top of the car, annoying his comrade nonetheless. "You won't believe what it was about."

"Probably you finally catching an STD that manifests into super aids of some kind and spreads by your presence alone?"

Jiraiya looked aghast at his crazy brother. "Do you really want to talk about my sex life?"

"It was a joke-"

"DO YOU REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY SEX LIFE?!"

"No, for fucks sake! Calm down!" Obito tossed the riled man a bag of Twizzlers. "I was just joking! I'm sure you use protection!"

Jiraiya scoffed and caught the bag, ripping it open with his teeth, "Of course I do! When you sleep with people around a legal active age, you tend to have to, you know? Oh wait, never mind, " he sneaked in a stab, and like always, his comrade pretended it didn't get to him.

"Careful, you'll choke." Obito had a firm mindset that nothing, NOTHING, he could ever do was wrong. After all, who were they to judge him. Who was anyone? This man, believed he was a god...and or destined to be.

"At least it's big enough. Hey, what are we doing here anyway? You still haven't told me shit."

"I told you, I want to fuck with their minds. These stations are now further apart of that plan."

"Then why are we over here by the auto repair store?!"

"Because I told you to watch." Obito grabbed another beer, opening and then taking a sip.

"What about the cops though? You've got them littering the fucking streets to link up the bodies those guys are laying. The kids are wanted too, which doesn't help us! So why?! Why'd you tip the pigs off about the other stations?"

"I was thinking about the hotel incident. Moriku ran instead of facing us. They've gotten bolder too, but not stronger. I was planning to smoke them out and hit up contacts to notify us when and if they stop by. From what Haku told me about the news, they're wanted. He just informed me seconds ago too that our students are looking for gas. My plan is still a go! I only had to make some minor adjustments, but it will satisfy me nicely in the end."

"Have it your way then, Obi." Jiraiya blindly trusted his comrade who was hellbent on showing off. "Leave it all to your ego."

"I am."

_\::/ What We Doing? \::/_

"We have no choice...We need to stop soon. There's a gas station we're not affiliated with coming up," the driver informed with a point of his index finger out to the right side, "We'll tackle it tactfully this time."

No one disagreed.

"As long as we can get something to eat, Shika," Gaara said, drowsily, not feeling so hot, but hanging in there. He did his best to hide that he wasn't all together. Of course, his partner noticed anyway. Thankfully they didn't say anything.

"Agreed!" Naruto cheered from the back, an arm around his Sasuke's shoulder. "What say you, bud?"

"I don't mind as long as it's safe." Sasuke leaned against the teen, mid dozing off like Kiba in the row in front of them.

"Everything's going to be fine. If we get you trained enough, you might be braver than us! Speaking of which, when are you going to let someone else drive so you can get back here, Shika?" Naruto whined aloud, quieting his voice after seeing that Gaara was also drifting off a bit, not sure if he was tired or sick. "We need some practice back here!"

"After this pit stop, we'll pull over somewhere in the woods and recoup for the day. His training will carry on then."

"So no more hotels?"

"Not unless you want to be snatched in your sleep..." Shikamaru's attention changed to the red and blue lights that started to pop up in the distance ahead. "Naruto."

"Got it! Sasuke, duck down for a few seconds, okay?" Naruto moved over to allow his friend some room to lay on the seat.

Sasuke nodded, unbuckling his seat belt and getting down on his side, balling up some for comfort. "How many are there?"

"I don't know yet. It looks like a few." Naruto laid back in his seat to appear casual, peering at the crime scene on occasion while they drove by at a pace due to the speed warning signs.

There were indeed a good three cop cars and maybe four civilian cars around. An ambulance and firetruck were present of course as well, adding to the light show.

That cute yellow tape was up at the front before the store. One body was currently being loaded into the ambulance.

"Looks like someone was murdered." Gaara coughed non to harshly, pitying the unnecessary loss of life. "Do you think it was them?"

"Guess we'll have to keep going to find out." The driver turned his focus back to the road and proceeded on a leisurely speed. Up in the rear view mirror, he caught sight their pupper teen looking back at the crime scene and then to his phone, sort of in awe. "Something wrong, Kiba?"

"That station is on the news right now," Kiba said in a partially scared state, "and it's not the only one on this road that is! I think...I think we're being accused for it!"

"He's lost his damn mind.." Shikamaru gripped the steering wheel and then took in a deep breath, mentally challenging himself. ' _Or am I for not seeing the bigger picture?'_

"You know he wouldn't risk losing us to the spotlight unless he's pissed...or desperate." Gaara moved the pillow and sat his seat straight completely despite the nausea that hit him after he did that.

"You alright?"

"I'm good, Shika!" He gave a thumbs up regardless of how he felt.

"We need to get off this road." Kiba looked straight ahead at the new set of blue and white lights in the distance. "They could stop us for anything!"

"I hear you. Everyone, brace." Shikamaru made a sharp turn off the main road to a minor detour route after his orders were followed. "This will set us back a few hours, but it'll be okay."

"We going to Sup's and Flo's ?" Gaara asked, rolling his window down for some air.

"That's likely. It has more variety at least. Plus, you get to stay in the car with Sasuke for identity sake. I'll take task of filling the car while Naruto and Kiba acquire food. No weapons. Copy that, you two?" The driver glimpsed to the back, making sure Kiba heard mostly.

"Copy," Naruto said attentively, dawning a number seven baseball hat anyway that he picked up from the trunk along with another cap and two other things he quickly hid on the inside jacket pocket. He tossed the green cap to Kiba. "Here, Kibbles."

Kiba uttered something along the lines of, asshole, when the hat landed on his face. He put it on anyway and responded with, "Will do."

"Please be careful," Sasuke begged, developing uncertainty and a dislike for this hype train to payback.

Naruto smiled, putting an arm around his nervous, pale buddy again. He knew something that would cheer him up. "Why don't you tell me about what we used to do together? Or tell me some of our many adventures that led to us almost greeting death because your brother didn't do his one job and watch us."

"Oh my god." Sasuke laughed, shaking his head, thinking about some of the many things, distracted from the real issue. "You've no idea how many times we almost died while he retrieved his phone! All of those near death experiences were because you were crazy and always wanted to do weird stuff."

"Like the lake and jungle bars?"

"Noo! You wanted to climb a tree with only your feet! You reversed duct taped our shoes."

"Really? Did it work?"

Sasuke gave Naruto such a look of disbelief that it made the whiskered male, snort chuckle. "Naruto, you broke your arm and I sprained my ankle!"

"That's sweet! Where was Itachi?"

"With his new boyfriend he sneaked over."

"You mean that Kisame guy?!" Naruto surprised his buddy. "I hate that shark toothed bastard! He always hovered around and took Itachi away."

"That's sad you still feel that way because he proposed to my brother the day before I met you at school." Sasuke could frame that disgusted expression Naruto shared.

"Noooo?!"

"Yup!"

"You mean Itachi said yes?!" Naruto's internal childish disdain was building along with something that was more ancient.

"Yes."

"That's good for your brother, Sasuke! When's the wedding?" Kiba asked, peeking over the seat at them. "Can we come?!"

Sasuke smiled and nodded. "Of course!"

"If we go, we're sabotaging it!" Naruto was dead set on stopping the union.

"Why, Naruto?" Gaara, having listened for some time, decided to join in. "It's his choice."

"But Gaara, how can Itachi get married if he can't even keep up with his phone?!" that reasoning was said in a symbolic fashion like the rest, "How can he get married, when he couldn't even stop two kids from trying to climb a tree without their hands?"

Sasuke listened to Naruto's preacher mode like speech taking effect, snickering.

"I say, how can he get married when he sneaks weird men like, Kisame, over to the house?!"

"Naruto-" The redhead was interrupted before he could get another word in.

"I don't think anyone's hearing me. I say how, how, how can Itachi Uchiha get married when Kisame is 10 years older than him and-!"

"Naruto we get it!" Gaara assumed he put an end to it, but what he just heard, kick-started it all back up again.

The car slowed down to safe speed, allowing the driver and everyone else to look back at Sasuke. "Did I...Did he just say what I think he said?"

"I'm about to find out, Shika. How old is Itachi, Sasuke?" the ginger questioned and sort of demanded.

"He just turned 21 sometime ago so he's legal to drink too." Sasuke did his best to divert the problem and change the topic.

It was to late. Math was being done.

"That would mean this Kisame guy is 31, or turning so." Shikamaru looked back to the road, tapping the wheel as his passenger riding shotgun, figured out the rest.

"Which would mean that when Naruto was 10, Itachi was 13 because Naruto is 18 now. So if Itachi and Kisame are ten years apart then...oh my god! Sasuke?!"

"He's very nice!"

"He's a predator!"

"No, no, no, Gaara! He actually talked to our parents after Itachi snuck him over for the first time. He really wanted them to know!" Sasuke didn't believe Kisame was a bad guy. He was anything but in his eyes.

"Then what's his reason for wanting to date a thirteen year old?!"

"Umm, he says that my brother is very mature for his age, smart, kind, ect." All the incredulous looks he got for saying that, made him try again, "Itachi was also very tall for his age, Gaara!"

"No he wasn't!" Naruto outed him, lost to why his buddy would lie like that. "He was short! He's probably only like an inch taller than you…. We're all taller than you too!"

Sasuke became engulfed in nervousness, driving him to hold onto his seat belt. "H-He's really not that short. Kisame isn't that tall either-"

"Height isn't the issue, Sasuke! What did your parents say?!" Gaara didn't see it, but Shikamaru did. This was taking his mind off his nausea and thus overall sickness, leading him somewhere not anymore pleasant.

"Do you like older men, Sasuke?" Kiba eyed the teen suspiciously. He was more concerned about him stepping in on his and Shino's relationship.

"What?! I-I don't know! And my parents didn't like it any more than you guys!"

"They've a right to do so! Any man that preys on a child that young is sick!" Gaara came from a place more personal than he realized at that moment till he said, "Men like him are…...monsters."

"Gaara?" With Naruto being the person the ginger had those conversations with, he understood.

"I'm..uh, give me a second."

Sasuke sort of picked up on the sensitive issue and decided to try a new approach. "Gaara, you and my brother are..very loving people. No matter how much pain you go through, no matter how much you hide it, you both find ways to keep caring about everyone else."

Gaara sighed and glanced at Shikamaru to see him smiling. "I'm assuming you agree to this flattering distraction."

"There's a lot of reasons why I love you." A chuckle escaped from the driver at how the ginger blushed and looked so shocked at the comment.

"There's also a lot of reasons why Kisame is good guy!" Sasuke pushed on, using the tender moment.

"Nice try, Sasuke. But….if you're defending him this much, then he can't be all that bad." Gaara twitched a smidgen, biting his tongue after saying that.

"He really isn't! I think you guys should meet him after all this!"

"And end him," Naruto thought aloud again, slightly laughing maniacally under his breath, natural hatred flaring again. He cleared it with a cough when Sasuke caught him. "What I say..?"

"Seriously?!"

"No one's going to kill Kisame. We will only make it a point to interrogate him."

"Gaara?!"

Gaara fixed his poor choice of words with a stumble. "I-I meant talk to him!"

Shikamaru bursting out laughing next to him, didn't help the situation at all.

"You guys can't hurt him! My brother will be devastated!" Sasuke grabbed a hold of his friend and shook him. "Promise me you guys won't hurt him!"

"Ah- We promise!"

"Thank you!" Sasuke ended his attacks and tried to unwind, thinking more and more about his brother and his family reacting to all this... When was the last time he'd been more than a day away from them actually? Hell what about for more than nine hours at most? He did miss them as time passed. ' _I wonder if they're mad at me…'_  He shrunk off to himself, zoning out of the new conversation started.

"-where are we setting up tents again, Shika?" Kiba double checked the map on his cell to make sure they picked a safe spot.

"Possibly somewhere random. If you want an area, try around the HL trail." That was the best place Shikamaru could come up with that was time saving enough. If his phone wasn't in the trunk, he'd look it up himself.

Kiba agreed, resting back down on the seats. "Okay"

"Oh! That place is very lovely this time of year. We might can do the little camping thing there instead!" Gaara went through the glove department, looking for one of the many tour guides stashed there, rambling to himself and avoiding terrible past trauma.

"You guys sound like you've been everywhere," Naruto said, almost jealous like, playing with his zipper on his jacket.

"Not really. We weren't always together, Naruto. It took us a while to find each other so count yourself lucky." Shikamaru half smiled to the back. "You didn't miss much."

"We robbed a bank." Kiba grinned at the shocked look on Naruto's face, laughing.

"We did not rob a bank!" Gaara hit the pupper boy with the pamphlet guide, playfully. "It was considered."

"Wow! I'm out of the loop in both lives! How's that, Sasuke? Sasuke?" Naruto nudged his raven friend that was in deep in thought. "Bud?"

"Huh? Oh, what?"

"You sure you okay? Gaara mentioned the camp thing and you didn't say a word."

"My bad... I was..just wondering how my family was doing is all." Sasuke frowned, forehead against the window.


	26. Watch

Naruto understood. The corner of his lips formed a small smile as he said bluntly, "They're probably crying and praying, hoping you're okay, wondering what they did wrong, vying vengeance on anyone that harms you, ect."

"How on earth did you come by that, boss?" Sasuke propped an elbow up on the window sill, interested.

"Because that's how I felt when these fools ran off," he whispered in the raven's ear, "I was awake for days."

"Really?" Sasuke didn't mean to cause his parents stress like that. Supposedly there was a pinch of doubt that they were worried at all. If they could actually stop fighting for a few seconds, maybe they could find him. He did hear they were involved in looking for him at least.

"You miss them, huh?" Naruto kept his voice down, seeing his buddy nod. "Well, it's only been about four days now. You'll be back home before the weeks out."

"With you? Shika said that they'd visit at least."

Naruto grinned at that and nudged Sasuke. "Told you you'll come to love them."

Sasuke stared, dead serious. "Answer me."

"Yes, Sasuke. I'm going back with you." He ruffled raven hair, laughing.

"There's a waterfall here!" Gaara announced excitedly, drawing attention. "Can we camp by it?!"

"So we're doing the camping thing tonight?" Sasuke asked, struggling to get out of the hug Naruto had trapped him in all of a sudden.

"I don't see why not. Shika?"

How could the driver say no to joyous emerald he loved so much. "I guess it'll be a nice place to train him at..."

"We can go swimming!" It dawned on Kiba like a godsend.

"Could you wear a swim suit for our sake, Kibbles?" Naruto groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Or you guys could avert your jealous eyes elsewhere."

"Wear some trunks, Kiba. Sasuke doesn't need to see all that," Gaara shook his head, mentally attempting to clear his own mind.

Kiba shrugged, saying, "...I'll consider it."

"Thank you, Kiba." Sasuke expressed his gratitude with a pat to the pupper teen the best he could out of the hug, ruffling the two hair clips.

"Hey guys, we're coming up at our stop." The driver then slipped on the scarlet bandanna he had in his pocket to his forehead, tucking the point. It gave him a pirate look that made his passenger to his right take a gander. "Something wrong?"

"No, nothing, nothing..A rugged look suits you almost more than your usual neat appearance is all."

Shikamaru took that weird compliment and accepted it with a lift of his shoulders. In a way, he understood because the redheads mentor was usually properly dressed. "Thanks."

"Mhm..." Gaara got one more look in for the memory bank. "You sure you want me to stay in the car?"

"Positive. You're not exactly better."

"Oh, am I that awful?" Gaara flipped down the sun visor to take a look in the mirror. He was pale compared to his usual peachy skin, and his eyes were heavy. "I don't feel that bad."

"You're staying in the car." Shikamaru left no room for debate and went to speaking directly to the two with a job in the back, "You guys ready?"

"Ready!" Kiba gave a thumbs up, placing his cell and headphones in his bag on the floor.

"Ready, Shika." Naruto finally let go of Sasuke who instantly became alarmed.

"We're here?" Sasuke looked out the side door window to see the joint establishments coming to full view. "Are you guys sure it's safe?!"

"You stay in the car. We'll be fine," Naruto assured while fixing his jacket.

The SUV was driven on up to a gas pump and parked.

"Okay, five minutes tops no matter what happens. Should such bullshit start, then Gaara will take Sasuke to that waterfall place and we'll regroup there before 8:00 if possible," Shikamaru laid down the ground rules, halfway outside of the car, no longer needing the walking stick.

"What if you guys don't come back by 8:00?!" Sasuke grabbed the hem of his friends jacket, stalling.

"Don't worry so much," Naruto convinced the raven to let go with a sweet smile and caress of a pale face, "Everything's going to be fine."

"S-Sure." Sasuke didn't get what was with them and lying. He knew he couldn't stop them, so he simply had to hope for the best.

"Do you two know what to get? We need minor junk food for snacks and easily cook-able foods for the fire and such if you can find any."

"Yes, mom. We got it," Naruto responded, grinning at the annoyed oldest, "Be right back."

_\::/ Another Tale of Caution \::/_

Sasuke took watch out the side window, seeing the guys split up and go to different parts on either side.

"There's an auto shop over there." Gaara had been eyeing it for a while, not spotting a single soul over there. He thought it would be a good distraction for Sasuke nonetheless. "Must be closed. Ah, no wait there's someone inside. Poor guy looks tired, what do you think, Sasuke?"

"They're going to be okay, right? We're not really going to leave them here?"

"Absolutely fucking not. Shikamaru won't like it, but he'll thank me later." Gaara snickered, imagining the whole ordeal and then blushing a faint hint of pink. "You know, he's never been a asshole no matter how hard he acts. Almost like Naruto."

"You mean Shika?" Sasuke stifled a chuckle, keeping less of a watch now due to being curious.

"Mhm! I can't remember everything off the bat, but the little bits, I do. He had a reputation from our mentors for being a smart ass, selfish brat. I believe he's trying to maintain that somehow."

"How come?"

"Armour perhaps. When he first got there, I was sick so I couldn't meet him directly yet. I use to have these really bad panic attacks. Anyway, I could however, hear him, and the mentors talk about him. So when I could actually walk and meet him, imagine my surprise when I found out he was a smart ass and not conceited." Gaara looked on out the window too, specifically checking Shikamaru's way. "He'll deny it to this day regardless."

"That's why he said that last night?"

"He can be dramatic at times."

"I see." Sasuke watched Naruto and Kiba at the convenience store side, spotting them goofing off through the window. "What was Naruto like when he first got there?"

"Hmm, that's fuzzy too. I remember him crying a lot his first day. He learned real quick that wasn't going to work. He was also a very sweet kid, so that became a problem in which I constantly tried to protect him from." Gaara looked down, fiddling with his sweater. "I'm sorry if he's not like you once knew him... We tried to save what we coul-"

"Gaara," Sasuke stopped the apologetic redhead and continued to say, "thanks. He may not be the same, but he's alive. There's some parts of him coming back too."

"So he's not over the top with killing people then?" Gaara asked in a part joking and not joking manner.

"Honestly, from what I've seen, he doesn't fight to well. Then again, it's always been someone he knows whom he's had to fight. He knocked out two guys before!"

Gaara shrugged. "Huh, then I don't know. He's not violent when sparring with us, or just playing. Practically he's as non-threatening as Kiba when docile. On the other side, when he's with an unknown enemy, that's a different story. Guess he probably grew out of it."

_\::/ Hot Dogs \::/_

"Kibbles, Kiba, check this out!" Naruto pulled his busy pupper friend over to the alcohol aisle. "Think Gaara would mind if we picked up a case?"

"Duh, Menma." Kiba used his comrades other name in case the grumpy store owner had seen the news. "We're not even at the legal drinking age, man."

"What if we bribe him?"

"With what?" Kiba quirked a brow as if to say 'not my money.'.

"Aw come on. If we both chime in-"

"That's another if."

"-we can afford it and then some." Naruto pleaded through the interruption.

"No, Gaara said food and more food. We can get some water though." That, Kiba did put in the basket.

"Since when do you listen to what people tell you to do?"

Kiba gawked at the not so blond and said, "I always listen to what Gaara tells me to do?!"

"Ah-...true." Naruto gave up, leaving the beer and going over to the frozen isle, picking up some hot dogs and such. "Oscar myers?"

"Mayers, and definitely!" Kiba held up the basket full of a few things already. "I'll get bread."

"Nice." After putting the wieners in the basket, he walked over to the chips section one isle over, hands in his pocket. Searching around, he glanced up and spotted the store owner still watching them.

Suspiciously and painfully obvious, two other men came from around back. One went to the front of the store and the other to the back exit. Each stood there with their arms behind their back, alerting the only two consumers inside. Naruto hadn't gone to far from Kiba, so over in the aisle next, he said quietly, "I think we're done."

Kiba nodded, putting the last few things in the basket. "Yup... Now all we have to do is pick an exit."

_\::/ Pump \::/_

Shikamaru didn't experience any suspicious behavior with paying for the gas. Now at the gas pump, filling it up for a good while with one hand, he started to believe everything was good. The female store owner was nice and welcoming. Her little kid she had running around the place gave him a little brown bag of candy as he left the store. He was strictly a Twizzlers guy so he'd give them away eventually. Couldn't hurt to see what flavors they were. With his free hand, he fumbled through his pocket and inside the brown bag, pulling out one of the pieces of candy.

It was a lollipop.

He observed the orange round pop, looking around it to see Gaara and Sasuke calm in conversation through the window. Smiling at that, he placed the pieces of candy back in the bag and put the pump away after shaking it for the remains. He then thought, ' _I wonder if Gaara likes orange flavored suckers more than... apple,"_ mid putting the fuel cap back on. He slowly but surely came to comprehend what was going on. He reached back in his pocket, pulling out two pieces this time. One red and one green. Fortunately, he saw something else. In the reflection of the window, a man with a bat stood right behind him.

When the assailant swung, his target simply ducked, dropping the candy. This only succeeded in making the teen from behind the window, scream as it was broken in.

Shikamaru then quickly tackled the aggressor to the ground. The cap of the metal bat immediately found it's spot coming down hard on his back, forcing him to lose control of his top position and be flung over and pinned to the ground. He knew what would follow and so, he caught parts of the barrel that was being forced down on his throat. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gaara coming out of the car. "GET BACK IN THE CAR!"

"Sure! You look like you've got this all under control again!" Gaara shouted back, stabilizing his dizzy self against the car because he'd left it so fast. The second he moved to help, he heard footsteps coming up fast behind him so his plan was quickly shot down. Coughing and grumbling, he pushed his nausea aside. He spun around and side stepped out of a brass knuckled lefty. The moment the man swung again with the other arm soon after, Gaara held up his forearm to deflect and catch the man with a hook of his own in the stomach.

Sasuke watched in a panic from inside the car, deciding it was Shika he needed to help since the man was still fighting back from being choked out. He went to opening the car door when the other side opened beforehand. He screamed again as he fought and kicked at the third assailant trying to get over to him and pull him out. He cut himself up a little on the glass on the seat and windowsill, backing away more.

"HEL-" Sasuke faltered, letting out an abrupt shriek when he was finally grabbed by the ankle and pulled out of the car on his back, generating a wince and his instant cradle of his head. Blinking through that head banger, he was forced to get over it and use those hands to flail at his attacker on top of him that was literally messing with him.

"Look at you, look at you! Boss was right! What a pretty little money shot you are. Almost cuter than that little plum girl," the hired gun teased, seizing the teens wrist and pinning above their head, "You're just as helpless too."

Sasuke squirmed, looking around for anything and anyone. He strained back enough to see under the car and find Shikamaru had gotten the upper hand. He was now on top, wailing away, the bat rolling somewhat under the car. He couldn't use his hands to reach for it so what use was there. His attention was brought back to his assailant whom found new habit by breaching his shirt. The second he began to scream, his wrist were let go and his mouth was covered next and entrapping his nose as well. With his hands free, he flailed with one. The other he tried to use to pull off the man's hand that was feeling on him, making him whimper and freak out, tearing up some.

" _GET OFF ME! GET OFF ME!"_ his pathetic yell was muffled by that hand pressing down harder over the important breathing holes. With his attacker being bigger than him, he couldn't reach their face the more they leaned back. He aimed to assist his other hand in an attempt to pull the invading attacker's own from going further up. No matter how hard he tried, a palm found its way up through the neck of his shirt and on his throat.

A sudden spray of gunshots did make the assailant pause and look around in alert. "So we can't have guns but these fucking twats can?! I knew I should of grabbed my fucking knife."

Sasuke was hyperventilating by this point, losing oxygen faster. He looked back, saw the bat and reached for it.

_\::/ Slipping \::/_

Those gunshots came from a no longer concealed weapon within the convenience store. A bullet was buried deep within the skull of one, two in the neck of another, and three in the chest of the next to last. All was left was the false store owner who was having the living shit kicked out of him by Kiba, to riled up by it to notice the gunfire. He did take cognizance when lead whizzed pass right through his enemy's head, forcing him to jump back in surprise. "Menma?!"

Naruto looked deadpan at his bleeding comrade and shrugged, a swift gesture to the nose and mouth. "He hit you pretty hard."

"Speak for yourself! I-I'm fine." Kiba wiped it at his face, merely smearing as he walked over and picked up their basket of things that had long since been spilled out. "You need to calm down!.. I thought Shika said no weapons?!"

"He did...I'm going to go check on them." Naruto moved towards the window, ignoring the streaks of crimson coming down from a cut on his cheek and lip. Little sparks of rage were going off more sporadically inside than normal. They'd been in situations like this before where he got worked up, but this felt different and more like a long lost rush. He paused his contemplating when he caught the action taken place out the window. "Kiba!"

"What now?!" Kiba looked up, seeing the unfair fights going on by the car. Eyes widened, he quickly grabbed a nearby beer bottle and they made their way out.

_\::/ I need a drink \::/_

Gaara didn't know where these men kept coming from, nor who the hell was emptying clips. He'd taken down one just to be jumped by another. Thankfully, Shikamaru took that one off his hands. The fun didn't end there. Another two assailants came at him soon after and tackled him down to the ground. He managed to kick off one and gain an advantage over the other. That one was delivered a few good punches to their pierced face, breaking their nose eventually. It didn't last long as he was pulled off by the one he had kicked.

He was held up, arms locked behind him and tight. He squirmed, cursing under his breath. He struggled and witnessed the one whose nose he'd broken, get back up and snap it back, pissed. Grinning, he spat up a nice little spot of red at their feet, taunting the fool. The assailant took the bait and rushed. Gaara crouched only slightly enough to give himself enough leverage to jump up and kick the jerk in the face, dislocating that nose again and sending him out of the fight.

While that dumb ass hit the ground, his other hired comrade sought to take matters his own hands. He let the redhead go, smirking when they turned around all surprised. The giant waited, catching his prey off guard even more.

Gaara didn't know whether to be worried or not. He fainted a direct punch and moved into a kidney shot. It was easily deflected. His throat was encircled by a hand swiftly thereafter. He was then lifted off the ground by that one arm. Out of reflex, he held onto that forearm, feeling like he was hanging for a second. He coughed what he could, his throat slowing being constricted. He tried to kick again but it was merely pushed aside. He was choked out agonizingly steadily.

"You know my boss told me I'd enjoy this. You do make a rather erotic face when you can't breathe. " Right after that unsettling comment that stunned the redhead, a beer bottle found its way across the back of jerk's head, shattering it and sending the dark liquid everywhere. That only dazed him for a second. What killed him was when the broken bottle handle was shoved in the back of his head and twisted.

Gaara found himself able to breath a moment later as his burly attacker toppled over, letting him go. He shook off the words that came from the one man that could scare him that badly into submission. "F-Fuck, thank you, Kiba!"

"No problem." Kiba smiled, equally out of breath, holding up the basket. "I got free food!"

_\::/ Ignited \::/_

Sasuke, on the other hand, never made it to the bat. At least his nose was uncovered. He kept fighting back his attacker whom was now licking his neck and touching him anywhere and everywhere that generated a violent jerk. All he could feel was sickness and fright. Like there was no way out of this. He glared down his assailant through tears, resisting as much as he could. When the man finally got done tracing the teen's jaw line with his tongue, he backed off for a second, panting. He looked about to say something worse than his breath, but an equally hot barrel found his head.

Sasuke was thrilled to see the one holding the gun was Naruto. Something was terribly off about his friend though. It was similar to Kiba's gone state.

The hired gun raised his hands in surrender, smiling at his prey nonetheless. His eyes soon darted backwards from the last two bullets piercing and blowing out the other side.

Sasuke screamed with a new fear as blood from his assailant splattered the ground next to him. He pushed free from under the man, backing up against the SUV. His frightened eyes watched his gone friend pull the trigger on the empty gun over and over again.

When Naruto realized the gun was useless, he threw it to the side and picked up the bat. He then went to bashing the man's head in, again, and again, and again, and again, and again-

It seemed to never end, and to Sasuke that was now the most terrifying thing he'd ever seen. He gagged, looking away from his friend who was beating the rapist without thought, emotion, or empathy. Giving the hired gun likely deserved it, it was still unnecessary since he was already dead from the head shot. This was severe overkill that got messier and messier.

"N-Naruto, stop!" Sasuke slowly backed up more off the ground against the SUV, never looking back. He got no response from his friend who'd by now reduced the assailants skull to a mush like paste.

Another assailant came from around the car, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw his mate's ongoing beating. "THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU KIDS?!"

How ironic.

Naruto stopped, slowly looking over to the next target.

"Naruto!" It was to late. Sasuke's friend didn't look like he even registered his own name anymore.

In Naruto's head, he began reliving a moment from his main life when he saw the metal bat. It was now a claymore. He donned it like his armor. The assailants wore the near same, so extra care to kill them must take place. These men were not merely hired guns anymore. They were assassins sent to harm the son of the first king, his lover. "Anyone who threatens the life of the first king's son shall be sentenced to dishonorable death."

"Fuck are you on about?!" The man grinned, stepping into a stance to fight the deranged teen.

Sasuke tried again, "Naruto, please don-!"

"Prince Hiei, please return to the carriage!" Naruto literally looked at Sasuke and saw such a person fairly easily. His mind showing to be firmly set in this long ago 'memory'.

"Who?! Naruto, I'm not Hie- Look out!" Sasuke warned his crazed friend who full on took a strike to the left side of their face.

Naruto didn't move an inch, eye twitching, enraged again, he effortlessly pushed the man's fist away and went to swinging his bat in what anyone would assume was an odd fashion. To him, it was to slice and dice. He did eventually get the assassin in the stomach, assuming the armor stopped their guts from spilling on the ground. A swift strike followed to the attackers leg to bring them down and then another to the back.

The carnage commenced within seconds. He threw his 'sword' to the side, thinking it was dull. He went to saddle himself onto the man's back, stopping them from trying to crawl away. He pulled out his dagger, actually just a combat knife, and began repeatedly stabbing the assassins back with vigor.

Sasuke backed away slowly along the length of the car, scared out of his mind, bumping into someone. He yelped, alerting the one he was trying to get away from.

When Naruto snapped his crimson stained attention behind him, he saw it was one of his knights. "Ishida! Take the prince to safety!"

Gaara blinked, at lost and sort of startled at the blood all over the blond. "Sasuke...get in the car."

"What's wrong with him?!" Sasuke couldn't move. He refused to be alone. "I thought you said it was just Kiba!"

"It is just Kiba! I'll explain later." Gaara moved the raven into the car, making his way toward the gun afterwards. He picked it up and then walked over to the teen enraged out of his mind. He whacked him one good time.

Naruto blacked out like a light, the memory never ending.

Shikamaru came from around the car this time assisted by Kiba. Upon spotting Naruto and the brutalized assailants, he asked, "He slipped?"

"Oh he did a little more than slip this time... Is that all of them?" Gaara paced over, in pain himself. He was able to pick the teen up under his arms and drag him to the car. "Are we clear?"

"I hope so. Kiba, go help him." He limped over to the driver side alone. He stole a quick glance over at the auto repair shop, wondering why no one over there came out during that whole time. If anything, that furthered his theory. He threw the candy bag out from his pocket before getting in the car. He had to get them the hell out of there before there were anymore surprises.

_\::/ Who Am I \::/_

The car ride out of the set up was somewhat quiet. Everyone was either busy fixing their wounds, toughing it out, mentally beating themselves, or focusing on the positives.

In the back, Sasuke cradled Naruto's head, a blank out of touch look about himself. He was processing everything he saw and experienced. His bandaged hands were a constant reminder next to the red stained friend on his lap. He had a wet rag he was using the blindly wipe away the dried crimson from the teen's face, clearing up the make up and thus bringing back whiskered marks. The more he looked upon his restless friend, the more he thought about that brute he saw back there. Though acting a noble reason, it wasn't right. It looked as if Naruto rather enjoyed the blood and gore.

Distraught, he scraped a nail over a tuft of hair as if trying to get rid of the darkness and bring back light.

The gem shined out of the corner of his eyes. He laid the rag down on the teen's chest and trailed his fingers over to the necklace. Feeling as though this was all that gem's fault, he grabbed a hold of it and yanked it off.

Naruto sprung awake instantly, shouting, "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Sasuke froze, not wanting to move or breathe. He saw his this person he didn't know, heave, breathing slowing down to a regular speed.

Naruto came back to reality at a pace. In doing so, he looked around frantically, moving away from the raven to the other side.

"You alright back there, not blondy?" Kiba asked, a damp cotton ball to his nose.

"Who?! I-I..I'm…!" Naruto continued to look around, not sure what was real and what wasn't. One minute he was in a carriage. The next he was in a car. "W-What happened? What's going on?!"


	27. We're Getting There

_\::/ Observed \::/_

"Holey shit." Jiraiya bit a knuckle, sight seeing among the set up and around the bodies, air reeking of cheap liquor. "We taught them to perform cleaner than this."

"They're becoming way too civilized." Obito chuckled, using his cane to poke at the bat. "They trust anyone, don't think before moving, and just everything we warned them about... I could of swore I told these idiots no weapons."

"Why not? They sure could of used some," the pervert mumbled that more to himself, but it was rewarded a response anyway.

"I wanted to see where our students were at. So far, from what I've seen, I'm greatly disappointed."

"Speak for yourself! I enjoyed seeing your precious little redhead get knocked down a peg."

Obito would disagree to an extent. He headed over to the giant with the beer bottle in his skull. He did love that look of fear on his students face, knowing he caused that. "I'm proud of Ishida. He's always been good at dissociating pain to perform until he can't. Yet, he seems to be regressing as well. The only one with some primal sense was Menma for bringing his damn gun. That coloring of his hair though was tedious."

"We should of prescribed Menma some Ritalin." Jiraiya aimed his assault rifle at a small amount of the hired guys who were downed only. He fired many shots to the dome to make sure they stayed that way permanently. He did a double check to make sure he got everyone that could be put out of their misery. He stopped by the gas pump to view the body that Shika had punched to near death. He nudged the poor bastard with his foot. The second the fool groaned, he was welcomed with a bullet between his eyes and one to the heart. He then went ahead and reloaded casually. "You know Moriku had a damn moment over here as well. That was odd for him of all people."

"Quite, do tell me if you noticed this, Jiraiya, but remember when Ishida got out of the car? Did Moriku appear to actually fight back a little harder?"

The slack pony-tailed man shrugged. "They always acted more aggressive when it came to each other."

"I suppose..." Obito proceeded to the convenience store. "Or, they're stupid enough to be doing what I think they're doing."

"You sound a little jealous of that, brother." He followed behind the oldest, concerned when said man laughed awfully sarcastic like.

"You mean jealous of Gaara wanting to try new things? Barely. He knows who he belongs to in the end." Obito paused a good feet away from the door to turn slightly and wave at the scared woman and child behind the window in the gas station.

"Uhuh," Jiraiya mumbled under his breath, assuming otherwise. Most of them had fallen at one point or another. He passed by to hold the glass door open. "Are we letting the lady and kid go?"

"I told her she could free her husband from the back of the auto shop after we're gone."

"Huh, that's nice of you," he complimented as he entered behind the dark haired boss, looking around.

Obito spun his cane one good time. "I can be merciful sometimes."

"Oh," Jiraiya guessed right away from the callous tone shared, "her husband's a trap, isn't he?"

"No, no, of course not. I just love leaving loose ends! Like that kid you missed," Obito said sarcastically, making way to the dead hired gun near the alcoholic section.

"I got a shot off her!"

"That's not a guarantee, Jiraiya. For Christ's sake, Menma even knows that! Almost everyone here has a bullet to their head or somewhere fatal."

"And his DNA." Jiraiya knelt down to the one with three bullets in his chest, reminded about the guy outside with the butchered back. This wasted soul had scratch marks on his face, suggesting there was a struggle before the gun was pulled out.

Obito picked up a hair clip off the floor that he knew only belonged to one teen of his. "All of them left something."

"Not your not nephew."

Obito didn't watch him at all. "He's useless. I fail to see why they're keeping him around just because he's one of Menma's old friends."

"Beats me." Jiraiya shrugged before standing up. "I don't get why we didn't intervene and catch them right here. You really want to play this mind game with them forever?"

"Don't act like you didn't see it was working. We learned a lot here too. The second phase will hopefully make you shut up and appreciate my efforts." Obito picked up another case of beer. "It's a double set. You'll love it."

"Whatever you say, Obit- Are you-...Are you drunk?!"

"I'm celebrating. " Obito tossed the pack to Jiraiya whom missed for a split second. "We'll have them tomorrow."

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and took the man's word for it, straddling the case. "It better be!"

"It is."

 _\::/_ _Cope_   _\::/_

Naruto was informed of his slip he had back there by nearly everyone. The only one truly distraught by it was Sasuke and the not so blond himself. His older comrades didn't really see him doing anything different than what he normally did whenever they use to attend missions. The only thing that was kind of odd was that he called the car, a carriage.

"This is what you meant by him killing people?!" Sasuke asked incredulously. "He completely took on a different person!"

"Not really." Gaara sat in the back there with Kiba, patching up the pupper teen's head. "He just forgot where he was is all."

"But he called me, Hiei?!"

"He had a dream about you two being similar. Probably got caught up," Shikamaru pinched in, biting and pulling on a bandage tight around his forearm, covering the cuts he received from the glass on the ground.

Naruto's expression showed he felt otherwise. He could see why none of his compound friends thought more into his slip since those names were theirs at some point. That was the problem though. Those names are their names. Like their real, original names from long ago. With that new awareness, it fueled his belief into this madness. "Guys, this time, I could see it!"

"See what? You mean the carriage you told me to put Sasuke in?" The ginger snickered.

"Yes! I know it's weird, but everyone was clothed differently too! We wore armor and Sasuke was in this weird dress like thing!" Naruto pieced together the memory and the reality of it all. "It was like we were protecting Sasuke, or Hiei, from these assassins! He..He's the first kings son!"

Shikamaru glanced up through the rear view mirror, impressed. "Not bad. Anyway to prove that wasn't a lucky guess?"

Naruto paused, rising emotions never dying down. "I can't! I wasn't questioning Hiei! From what I recall, we had secured him but then there was someone w-we missed. I disarmed them, literally! Then I woke up..."

"So it didn't feel like a dream?" Sasuke questioned, frightful that there really was more to this gem and legend.

"It felt like another day..." Naruto downcast, blindly patting his chest, gripping the damp center of his shirt when he realized something was missing. He was then hit with a memory of that object with incredible value and thus, became frantic. "Where is it?!"

Sasuke moved back against the seat, greatly disturbed when his friend's personality suddenly switched to a deranged one. He hid that gem securely and gripped it.

"Where the fuck is it?!"

"Where is what, Naruto?!" Gaara shouted, cursing when the teen started to invade his space. He pushed him down to his seat, considering restraints. "What are you looking for?!"

"The witch's necklace!" Naruto yelled back in desperation, searching his pockets again. "Where is it, Ishida?!"

"That's not my name!" Gaara witnessed the freak out moment start to get out of hand. "Naruto sto- Sit down!"

"Whose Naruto?!"

"You!"

"Me?!" Naruto came to slowly. He felt like his mind was really tipping and spinning between alternate realities. He didn't understand the dominating force that was compelling him to act in each scene, was nonetheless himself. He wasn't losing his mind, he was awakening to the lives he lived. His actions and emotions, no matter which him was behind the wheel, are mutual. He blinked to clear his vision that took him to stained red castle floors, a dying forest, and a muddy farm at random points. Every sight was a tragic location that lead to his first search for that gem and untimely end. "I...I-I really need that necklace..."

"What for?" Sasuke had every right to be reluctant as he was.

"It-It calms me down." Naruto laughed rather uncomfortably, unable to speak the shameful truth behind his need. "I mean, it's not like it took me days to find it or anything while being hunted...! How else am I going to talk to you?"

"By just..talking to me?"

"Hm?" Naruto quirked a brow in confusion, recognition hitting a second later. "OH! Oh, right...right."

Gaara gawked, watching the not so blond push himself to the corner and hug his knees up close to his chest. "Umm, Nara!"

"Yup?"

"Can we speed things up a little bit to the campsite?"

"What's the rush?" When the driver didn't get a response, he glanced up again to see for himself. What he saw was Naruto rocking back and forth talking to himself and avoiding eye contact with everyone. "What the fu-"

"I don't know," Gaara said abruptly, equally worried as he was.

Sasuke was the most concerned by far. He scooted over to Naruto and reluctantly gave him the necklace. He observed as his friend stared at it before snatching it away to begin praying for forgiveness.

"Merciful father who art on throne on high, don't wash away my sins, but forgiveth I for the pain I caused to the souls I've thrusted your way unjustly..." Naruto went on and on with a weird speech pattern even as he began directly speaking to the people he'd rendered of their mortal bodies, "-to the souls that floweth at the gates sentenced by my hand to this day, please, please exonerate I for my cruelty, my malice, my..my-"

"Naruto!" Sasuke stopped him, arms wrapped about his friend's shoulders. "You don't have to apologize!"

"Y-Yes I do." Naruto's memories were like a flash flood, non were of pleasant moments at that. "You don't understand...For years they wouldn't let me talk to you. For centuries I've been cursed and have only been given passage in a few lives. I-I MUST keep atoning! Heavenly father, I fall to my knees at your mercy, not to hide, but to ask you to spare me from your wraith-" On he went, a praying mess.

"Sasuke… do you know what the moral of the legend is?" Gaara kept an eye on the second youngest, beginning to believe in the silly story too.

"Power is a curse?" Sasuke took a guess, having not finished reading all of it.

"No, it's paranoia. In this story's case, paranoia induced fear. The Kings were once very good people until at the height of their power, delusion struck," Gaara explained and shifted in his seat, "They became fearful of betrayal from their own people, never among themselves. I always wondered if they regretted their mistakes in pretending what they were doing was the lord's will on top of taking advantage of many precious lives."

"What of the knights?" Sasuke petted his mumbling buddy's head.

"I believe one of them has come to understand what they truly did. He may now be living out punishment for his actions... Perhaps this really can't be stopped."

"Yes it can!" Sasuke cried out, giving the option that was always open but will never be accepted. "You guys can come home with me!"

"Not a chance, Sasuke. When we get the stones and end this cycle, we can all go home. Assuming there is a way that is," Shikamaru didn't mind repeating himself given the situation. He did expect a look of disappointment from the redhead. For once, his partner seemed agree.

"If history is repeating itself, then it being Naruto's history, he might be the only one that can change it," Gaara said woefully, accompanied by a small frown, "We will do what we always do in this situation no matter what. That is, I assume so."

"Why though?" Kiba actually thought it was a good idea to just go live with Sasuke. It would be nice to see what his life was like.

"It's like a programmed thing, I guess." Gaara sighed, finding it unfair.

"But programs can be changed!" Sasuke hugged onto Naruto more.

"They can, but not by us. Naruto is likely the only one who can do anything." The ginger did hope for the opposite.

Three pairs of eyes fell on the declining teen in question. His praying for forgiveness came to a troublesome halt. He immediately put the necklace on, shouting, "We hath nearly arrived!"

Startling the bunch, they watched as Naruto glued himself to the window, watching the forest intently. He'd been hit with another flashback about their dismal location.

"Shika?"

"We're almost there, Gaara."

Sasuke, being forced to let go, moved and held on around his friend's abdomen instead, laying against their back. "I just want him to be okay."

"He is...I think. I mean he seems like he's in between worlds more than in between himself." Gaara tried to come up with some answers to what he was seeing.

"If push comes to shove, we can just knock him out again," Kiba said with a lift of his shoulders.

"No way!"

"Eh, you never know, Sasuke."

"Gaara!" Sasuke looked to the ginger, shocked and defensive. "No one is hitting him again!"

"No promises," Gaara said under his breath.

"Why isn't not blondy, not responding to any of this?" Kiba leaned over the back seat, all bandaged up. "He'll usually be having a fit about us talking about him."

Naruto did hear them only as noise in the background that he didn't care to make out. His random bouts of memories were giving him one hell of a headache the closer in the woods they went because this place was one of the many lands that they'd claimed at one time. He remembered kicking the villagers out of their homes and not sparing them their lives to start anew. For such a terrible act, he clutched that gem again and started atoning while peering deep into the passing blurry forest that eventually came into focus because the SUV slowed down.

The driver maneuvered around trees, sticking loose to the trail nearby and following it. "I say we train as usual then discuss what we're going to do. That way we have some RNR time by eight."

"Aww, so no swimming?" Kiba pouted, picking at a scab on his knee just under his cargo shorts.

"Kiba, no stop that. Your defeating the purpose." Gaara smacked the pupper teen's hand, ignoring the whimper he cause. "If there is time for swimming, you can."

Sasuke, at that point, didn't care about for swimming or the camping. He couldn't comprehend how they were so calm right now. He stayed embracing Naruto, snuggling his friends back. ' _Boss.'_ If only he could speak to him telepathically. He'd reassure him that he wasn't alone. That whatever he was going through, they could help him figure it out together. As if that somehow worked, his friends natural form of speech came back.

"H-Hey Sasuke, you mind loosening up some, bud? You're killing me here." Naruto's mental state had calmed down enough for him to rejoin the others back in the present, but it wasn't better. He'd been through this memory sickness many times before in his past lives. It appeared to only trigger when something familiar arose or at random points. He deduced it those two modes of occurrence, hoping not to lose his mind completely anytime soon.

"Naruto!" Sasuke hugged him way to hard, making his friend inhale sharply.

"Agh! Sasuke!" It took some strength, but Naruto did get free from the worrisome teen. "You're almost as worse as you are on horseback!"

"On what?" The raven quirked a brow, puzzled.

"Uh-haha, nothing, nothing." Naruto blinked and shook his head one good time to clear the many thought inputs. "I'm- I must be hungry!"

"You're always hungry, Naruto." Gaara chuckled, happy to see Uzumaki was back...kind of.

' _Who?'_  Naruto lucked up, displaying that question on his face. This mishap allowed him to think he could smoothly recover with, "Oh! Right! Always right you are," he paused only a second, "Gaara!"

Gaara did catch that hesitation. "Sure..."

Sasuke looked back and forth between the two, picking up on what was going on. He then tried to pull away from his friend, coming to find he couldn't. Alarmed, he asked, "Naruto, are you sure nothing is wrong?"

"Nope!" Naruto announced rather proudly, confident in that answer.

"Glad you're aware." Gaara added a pat to Naruto's shoulder, leaning over the seat. "We'll be at camp soon, so hang in there."

"But we've already conquered this area." Naruto thought a loud, laughing it off when his friends noticed. "Ahaha, what I say? Just ignore me."

There was no hiding it or convincing anyone.

_\::/ Calling In \::/_

"Where's this set up taking place now?" Jiraiya asked, finishing his Twizzlers on the passenger side.

"Home." Obito went through his phone as he drove, calling the compound.

"Finally! I'm sick of the road," Jiraiya cheered, crumbling up the now empty plastic and tossing it to the floor, "Did you send some of the guys you all picked up to the compound?"

"I sent the last few for the ploy." Obito propped his elbow on the armrest, holding the phone out, speaker on. The dial tone filled the air followed by a click.

" _ **Obito?"**_

"Hey, Orochimaru, we're on our way back," the eldest foretold, an eye on the road, "You guys done there?"

" _ **Everyone is in place. I'm not sure why you want to only capture one of them though."**_

"Not one, all of them. This way just makes it easier. They'd do anything for him."

" _ **I've no doubt that, but do you really want to-"**_

Obito cut him off, "Trust me, Ochi. From what I've seen, they've retained very little from what we taught them. That time at the hotel, they lucked up is all by the cops and the fucking explosives."

"They're a mess too," Jiraiya added on, snapping open a bottle, "they've gotten themselves on the news and shit!"

" _ **We heard! Kakashi is...sort of freaking out about that."**_

"Tell him it's Sasuke's fault. It'll make him work harder." Jiraiya grinned, getting the driver to nod in agreement.

"That'll do it."

" _ **Wow, if you say so. Oh, Haku called."**_

"I got his message hours ago too." Obito glanced at his cell needlessly while driving.

" _ **Was the poison meant for Moriku?"**_

"It was, but he was just a bonus. He did panic more than I thought he would from what he told me."

" _ **Huh? Civilized?"**_

"Mhm. I'll tell you about it when we get back. We have one more pit stop. It's right by the compound so it won't be a problem."

" _ **Okay, Obi! See you guys then."**_

"See ya." Obito ended the call, glimpsing over to see Jiraiya plastered with a peeved look as always.

"I thought you said we were going home!"

"We're just stopping by the tower, genius."

"Oh!" Jiraiya relaxed, settling back in his seat. "That's not to bad. Why there?"

"It'll make a nice view."

_\::/ Speculation\::/_

In a clear patch some ways by a waterfall among the end of fall trees, set five tents in a half circle like pattern. A decent, unlit, pre-made fire pit wasn't to far from the tents with logs for sitting stationed around. The SUV was parked nearby for a quick escape, and the boys had long since rid of their bloody clothes. As fortune would have it, there was nothing to dangerous in the forest but small critters anyway. It was better safe than sorry, a statement in which they needed to believe in full-heartedly.

"Naruto, once again, what's my name?" Gaara took a knee on the ground in front of the unstable not so blond inside a tent.

Naruto was going to be placed on rest duty till he proved stable enough to join them in training. He tried to convince his comrade he was fine by answering basic questions. "Gaara."

"Good, now what's your name?"

"..." He drew a blank, avoiding those skeptical emerald eyes. ' _Which name do I give him again? Rakou? No, no, wrong timeline. Shit! Wait! He called me something just a few seconds ago.'_  It was already too late to answer, but he gave it a shot anyway, "Good!"

' _Fuck! That's not a name!'_  Naruto quickly corrected himself. "I meant, Naruto!"

T'was pointless.

Gaara sighed. "You're to stay in here. I'll come back and check on you later."

"I'm good though, Ishi-Gaara! I-I..I'll stay put." Naruto gave up trying to save face. He was no help like this.

"Please do." Gaara then leaned over and shared a small hug to the stressed teen sincerely. "Get some rest while your at it."

Naruto returned the embrace, contemplating with himself. ' _I need a lot more than rest.'_

When the hug ended, Gaara came to find that the second youngest was out of it again. He shook his head and left, hoping for the better. On he walked over beside Shikamaru, forearms over and under each other. For a minute, he watched Sasuke run back and forth from tree to tree with Kiba. "Naruto isn't any better."

"I heard." Shikamaru kept his hands in his pockets and voice down. "Sounds like he is really living in between realities or trying to keep his own intact..."

"How did we not notice this before?" The redhead beat himself up about it.

"He called us by our given names then, Gaara. It was normal at the time. Shit, I thought it was his way of coping and getting better like he'd promised he'd do."

"Maybe, but remember how we picked on him about how he fights? Now that I think about it, the motion he uses is as if he was using a sword."

"I suppose so." Shikamaru went through a recall session of his own, noting the behavior to something else. "Do you remember how the kings trained the knights?"

"Yes? In the art of swordsmanship."

"Do you remember why they trained them that way?"

"Because the blood of the guilty should never touch their hands so that one day they would be allowed in the holy temple. They also donned armor for that reason, I believe. "

Shika nodded. "Precisely! Menma was never too shy in not following those rules to achieve such though."

The ginger's face took on a curious one again. "Are you- Are you trying to say he knew those people were innocent?"

"I'm saying that Menma and the rest of the knights were brainwashed into monsters. But, from the way Menma acts in the stories, I believe he knew. I think he chose to let them live the lie that they were doing the right thing by murdering the accused 'guilty' party because he personally enjoyed it. He was a demon, and they were right to dub him as such."

Gaara let a droop form on his lips, not liking the way that came out of the clever man's mouth. "Naruto isn't like that at all. He's repenting too!"

Shikamaru shrugged, for it was easy to argue against such. "I heard. I'm not sure I believe him though. Anyone will seek forgiveness if they've been beaten long enough for their wrong doing. I'm not sure he'll be Naruto for long if that's the case."


	28. In The Woods

"You mean, should the curse be real? I'm on the fence with this myself, but look at him and tell me if you see a demon!" Gaara pleaded, turning point at the not so blond just to see that the very teen they were discussing, was no where in sight. "Naru-!"

Shikamaru grabbed the redhead by the upper arm to get his attention and put an abrupt hold to another bothersome situation. Lucky for them, the two running hadn't noticed a thing. Voice low and detrimental, he said, "I don't think we need anymore surprises at the moment!"

"But he's gone?!" Gaara retaliated in a hushed voice back, jerking his arm for release, unable to get free, "We can't just do nothing!"

"I'll go get him then! You stay here."

"Why can't I go?!"

"Because I know the legend inside and out... mostly. I might be able to help." Shika finally unhanded the oldest, hoping that was enough to convince him.

Gaara looked up and around, thinking about it. He pinched the ridge between his eyes, nausea sneaking up on him. "Whatever, okay! Just bring him back."

"I will."

"Mhm." He switched back to watching Sasuke and Kiba, fighting to keep his emotions and sickness caged.

Shikamaru moved to say something important to a seemingly unsuspecting Gaara, but he opted out of it. His goal focus should be on Naruto.  _'I hope it's him...'_ If it wasn't...well, he can't afford to make anymore fuck ups in judgement. His pint sized investigation began at the tent that belonged to the missing teenager. There, he took a knee.

Not a soul was present inside. Only the things that belonged to Naruto, lay askew about the place.  _'That idiot brought a weapon back there when I told him not to, didn't he? Considering he lost his, that means...he stole those.'_

He glanced over his shoulder curtly to make sure Gaara's back was turned. He then briskly pulled out his own handgun from behind under his black, _Guns N' Roses_  t-shirt. He switched the safety off before sneaking it back, considering he might need it. Calmly, he zipped up the tent, assuming that little touch would come in handy. He then stood back up, straightening himself out. He walked around the pyramid shaped abode once to search for tracks. Finding none, he picked a direction on a haunch of sorts and went for it.

A tired Sasuke was nothing new. His orders were to run back and forth twenty times. He was only on five while his training mate was half way done. He spotted Shikamaru leaving during one of his return jogs and so, decreased his speed some. "Where's he going?"

"Huh? Oh, water. He's going to get some more water." Gaara stuck to his wits and hid his unhinged state down to a minimum.

The student saw this as clear as day, for the oldest was as emotional as he. His jogging stopped completely. He looked to Naruto's tent, seeing it was zipped. "Naruto? Is he sleeping?"

"What?" Gaara looked back, hiding his surprise with a small laugh. "Ah, of course! He was rambling about not getting any sleep during the drive."

"Because of the strange memory nightmare thin?" Sasuke squinted, trying to see through the tent to no avail.

"Yup!"

"Hmm, okay." The raven started back running, slowly at first, choosing to believe they were telling the truth in the end...more so just hoping.

Gaara mentally sighed and somewhat smiled to himself. ' _How on earth did he..?'_  His partner always surprised him... in good and bad ways.

_\::/ In The End \::/_

Shikamaru's stroll went on for a good twenty minutes at least, pissing himself off more and more because he was to agitated to remember the way back. Quite suddenly, he came upon a grass field that was decently extensive and slightly narrow. He headed across the movie grade view, taking in the scenery. Once out of the green growth, he began to gander up and down the path he came too. He did a double glimpse on his left, spotting his target sitting on a stone bench. "Naruto?"

"This... This was the last place we conquered." Naruto knew what compelled him to come here, nor did he like it. All he could hear behind him were screams and then...his orders that forever ended the noise. "Why did I... hurt all these people?"

 _'Strange, but okay.'_ Shikamaru walked over and sat beside the whiskered lad, seeing this situation required a different approach. "I don't know, Menma. Why do you think you did?"

Naruto knew it was an order. He knew he had to follow, or did he? He searched within himself, finding internal regret and pain not just for this stolen land, but others. Those terrible actions he committed left him doubtful he'd go that far. Thankfully, this awareness was helping him more than harming.

Shikamaru noted the silence and the mournful look on the teen's face. "It's kind of weird for you to care... Do you fear punishment for what you did or do you feel actual remorse?"

Naruto shook his head, explaining the best he could. "I feel a shit ton of guilt and pain for things I-... I followed commands and I also gave them! I know what I did, yet I feel like I personally would never do those things or even think of hurting people like that! But I KNOW it was me! Like I really feel like I was there..and I was, but now...I-I ...would never caused so much death, man. It's giving me a headache!"

"You are not a conundrum," Shikamaru said thoughtfully, hands clasped over his lap.

"What do you mean?"

"Say I bite into this curse for a minute, do you remember when you were a deadweight?"

Naruto grumbled, not seeing the point in bringing up a term he loathed in such a situation. "Seriously, Shika?"

Shikamaru half smiled, figuring a few things out. "Me either. You learned and adapted fast. Why do you think you did that?"

"For the sake of you guys." He thought that was pretty obvious given Nara had did the same thing.

"That's right. You went from crying about yourself, to crying about others. You've changed in this life, I guess. Why in this life alone, I've no idea."

Naruto understood what he was getting at and chugged down the glass of confusion with him. The fact that remained was that they were not good people in the end. "Shika, our sins aren't washed away just because our paths are altered."

"That's debatable depending how you view sins to work. Back then it was deemed impossible. If you were guilty, the penalty was death. We likely deserved what we sowed... Nah, I'm just spouting nonsense. I'm not the original one here so what do I really know."

"That doesn't mean you're any less important!"

Shikamaru crossed his arms at the emotional teen and shrugged, further testing. "We're casualties. Nothing different than what your life involved before."

"What are you talking-?! You guys, the people we hurt, the people our mentors are probably hurting, no one deserves to go through this!"

"Are you implying that we should save everyone?"

"We should at least fucking try!" Naruto waved the 'never give up' flag, proud and true. "I've failed so many times, Shika. I-I can feel it and I'm not looking forward to seeing it! I've got to make this right somehow!"

"Then we have to break your curse."

"Break the curse?" Naruto beamed, in tears, happy to see his comrade coming around. "So you believe me now?!"

"To be honest, I'm 50/50. My plan was drop you here and claim you got dragged off by a rogue bear or something to end the curse quick if it was real."

"WHAT?!"

"I know right. Hearing you talk like that changed my mind. You may have been, Menma, but you're the better half." Shikamaru patted the stunned teen on the back with a grin. "Ah relax, killing you would have only sped things up likely."

_\::/ To Loud! \::/_

A gunshot suddenly pierced the air, loud enough to reach the campsite.

Gaara's attention immediately went to the direction he'd assume it came from. "What in the hell..?"

Sasuke hopped on up off the ground. He'd finished his workout minutes ago, so he was stretching things out with Kiba on the ground. He stood beside the redhead, looking in his direction. "Shikamaru?"

"I'm not sure. Kiba?" Gaara didn't have to look back.

Kiba hurried over next to them. "It's definitely a gun."

"I'll go check it out then. If I don't come back, you know where to go?"

Kiba nodded to the eldest, frowning a little. "Sure."

"Why don't you take Kiba with you? I'll just hide with Naruto." Sasuke wanted to check on his buddy the whole time anyway.

Gaara shook his head, being stern for once. "No, you will stay with Kiba the entirety of my absence."

"But I...Okay." He gave up when the redhead arched a brow like he'd challenged his command. "I'll stay with Kiba."

"That's a good choic-"

POW!

Another sharp shot went off, accompanied by an extra to further scare the lot.

"The fuck is he doing?!" Gaara disliked how spaced out those shots were, sounding far from a gun fight. Only one way to find out. "You two stay! I'll be right back!"

"You don't want to take a weapon with you?!" Kiba could run to the car and back in no time.

"I've got Naruto's gun still, which I'm sure is mine! You guys just hold off here if you can." Gaara departed without another word into the forest.

Sasuke took the advantage to sneak and check on Naruto just to be sure is his friend was okay. In doing so, he saw Kiba mumbling and counting on his finger-less gloved hands. "Something wrong, Kiba?"

"-that guy and then three in that guy, two in him," Kibbles spoke to himself, seriously thinking, "one in that guy and...Oh crap...The gun's empty!"

Sasuke unzipped the tent to come to an unpleasant realization of his own. "NARUTO'S GONE!"

They both looked at each other in horror and then to the direction in which Gaara had ran off to.

_\::/ Comrades \::/_

Gaara sprinted along at a decent speed as to minimize cuts and bruises from tripping and brushing against branches. The further he went, the longer it seemed to take. With day dimming, he began to slow down. ' _Where the fuck are you guys?!'_  he cursed to himself, jogging along now. He wasn't sure how long it took, but he did eventually come to a grassy field. It was a pretty scenery to him, but there was something not right about it that was putting him off at the same time. He so chose to walk along forest around the tall grass, coming to a path.

There he gazed to the left, catching sight of Shikamaru standing with a gun in hand beside a shocked, not so blond near a tree by a stone bench.

"Shikamaru!" Gaara shouted ecstatically, calming down to a more aghast state when he saw the bullet holes in the tree. "What the fuck are you guys doing?!"

Shikamaru gestured accusingly at Naruto. "He didn't believe I'd shoot him."

"WHAT?!"

"That's what he said! I was only considering it."

"You! Have you lost your damn mind!" Gaara marched over seized his crazy partner by the collar of a buttoned shirt. "Why the hell would you even think of doing something like that?!"

"No, Gaara, you don't understand," Shikamaru tried to defend his actions over that painful shove he received against the tree, "Ah-I was only making sure it was Naruto!"

"Were you going to kill him if it wasn't?!"

"No! I mean, maybe..." Not a good answer. At least he gave an honest one. He winced when the barrel of a gun was put under his chin. "Gaar-!"

"Shut it! You are to never do this shit again!"

Naruto watched, somewhat happy Shika was getting what he deserved, and kind of terrified all the same that his comrade was going to off him.

"Fine, fine. I promise!" Shikamaru bit back a smirk, knowing that would get him hit. It didn't. He was punched in the gut for actually trying love on the redhead to make up for it all.

"There is something seriously wrong with you, Shika." Gaara rolled his eyes at the keeled over man, switching his attention to Naruto. "Are you okay?!"

"I am now." Naruto grinned, enjoy his clever comrade's misery till his own ear was pulled, forcing him to wince and wine. "Ow-ow-ow-ow! Gaara?!"

"Why did you run off?! Did you forget we're trying to lay low?!"

"Then why are you shouting?!"

Have you ever stated an obvious fact to your parents when in trouble and they hit you with this, "Don't talk back to me!"

"Ahh! Okay!" Naruto whimpered, giving in. "I'm sorry!"

"Good!" Sometimes siblings, parents, elders, ect, get so riled up from being worried, their word is the only thing that they have to convince you to be safe, so they must always be right. "Don't ever do that again."

"I wont! I wont!" Naruto grumbled, rubbing his sore ear after it was finally let go. He then gained a big hug out of nowhere. "Umph- You alright there-?"

"I'm happy he didn't shoot you! Also, I'm dizzy." Gaara smiled wearily. The drama from the situation was making his head spin on top of the ever creeping nausea.

"Aww, that's not a problem! You can lean on me as much as you'd li-Woahh! Uh, Shikamaru, I actually need some help here!" He was shorter than the redhead so there was no way he could hold him for long when the oldest started falling.

"I got him." Shikamaru pushed through the soreness in his abdomen and scooped up his sickly partner in a sweetheart fashion.

"Hello!" Gaara yelped in surprise when he was lifted, dizziness hitting him hard. He clung on around Nara's neck, batting his eyes. "If I throw up on you, I'm so sorry."

Shikamaru's blush that was ready to flash an appearance, quickly ran away. "I'll try my best not to drop you."

"You clearly don't love him enough." Naruto shook his head out of pity.

"You mean you'd let Sasuke throw up on you?!" Shika sounded as mortified as he looked.

"Eh, if he was really that sick. It's no big deal."

"That's disgusting."

"The more you guys talk about puke, the more I want to." Gaara lazily moved a hand over his carrier's mouth and let it drop down. "Ssshhhh."

"Whatever," the clever man puffed a bang away, faint blush coming back.

Naruto did enjoy watching them. It made him think about Sasuke and how tired he was the night before they boarded the boat.

"Naruto!"

He didn't expect to be hearing the raven's voice though.

"Shikamaru!"

He sure as cuss didn't think he'd hear Kiba's voice.

"You going to dodge, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked the dazed teen.

"Hm, why?" He got his answer when he was tackled to the ground by the one in his thoughts, landing with a hard thud smack against the dirt. He gasped out, "Dammit, Sasuke!"

"You're the one that ran off! You have no right to be mad at me!" Sasuke straightened himself up to straddle some, spinning his hurt friend around to face him. "Oh damn, you alright, boss?"

"Once again, n-no." Naruto shook his head, body aching.

"Nice form, Uchiha."

"Thanks, Shika!" And like that, Sasuke forgot about his friends state.

"What happened?" Kiba huddled around the napping redhead in Nara's arms, terribly worried.

"He overexerted himself," Shikamaru had said that in teasing manner way. His humor died instantly when he saw Gaara was already out. "We should get back to camp. Did you and Sasuke finish?"

"We did." The pupper teen added a nod in. "Want to call it a day?"

"I think we should!" Naruto raised a hand, slowly recovering from the tackle.

"Sure." Shikamaru shrugged, focused more on the special person in his arms. "We're down a man anyway."

"I'll lead the way!" Kiba marched on, knowing damn well no one else remembered how to get back.

Sasuke eased up off his friend, noticing Gaara's state for the first time when he was carried by. "Is he going to be alright?"

"Of course! He always bounces back." Naruto jumped on up, energy returning. "Don't sweat it."

"If you say so," Sasuke mumbled, a tan arm coming around his shoulders, moving him along after the others. He was reminded again of everything they went through, wishing he could just take them all home with him once again.

"Come on, let's do that camping thing you were on about." Naruto did his best to distract the worrisome teen to no avail this time.

_\::/ LET'S GATHER AROUND THE CAMPFIRE \::/_

By the time the night started to fall, a blazing fire was set and ready for the burning of anything thrown its way. For now it simply crackled and spew little fiery bits that faded in the air. It's creators gathered around with things to cook, burn, and or simply just to get warm.

Gaara was one of the warmth seekers, wrapped in his panda blanket and doped up on medicine, feeling much better. He sat beside a specific comrade, legs crossed and leaning his head on their shoulder.

"Comfortable?" Shikamaru asked, sticking a hot-dog on a stick.

"I'll live."

"Eating can prolong that."

"I'm not up for it." The redhead coughed a tad, laughing after. "Guess I'll die then."

"Not funny." Shika poked the oldest on the cheek for that childish comment, smiling at the weak attempt to stop him.

"This is actually nice," Sasuke said quietly. Naruto was at his side struggling with putting the wiener on the stick without ripping it apart. Other than his friend's frustration, things were good. "Everyone seems relaxed and back to normal!"

"We're always relaxed!" Naruto gritted out through his teeth, trying not to ruin another good hot-dog. He was feeling a lot better himself. Random memory inputs were spreading out evenly when warranted. He was doing a good job at keeping it to himself till he fucked up another hot-dog. "How is this shit-?! I'll have their head!"

"Here, crazy not blondy, watch." Kiba held up an Oscar Mayer and a stick. He then met the two ends, pushing the hot-dog onto the stick and saying, "Elegantly stroke your link onto the rod. With it being a tight fit, you must be gentle."

Naruto gawked, no longer hungry for once in his life. He covered Sasuke's eyes for extra measure.

"Could you get my ears too, boss."

"I'm not even going to comment." Gaara looked away, shaking his head, embarrassed for the pupper teen.

"Kiba, stop molesting your food." Shikamaru lightly kicked the side of Kiba's knee closet.

"I am not molesting my food. That's disgusting." He actually did a good job at sounding uppity and offended. "I'm only explaining to this mortal, the sophistication that goes into maneuvering tight spaces."

"KIBA!" Naruto ruined yet another hot dog. This time it was Kiba's fault for distracting him.

"Here, boss. Let me," Sasuke said with a chuckle, easily assembling one, "There, nothing to it."

"Huh, thanks." Naruto accepted his pre-made dinner with gratification.

"Ahhh, Sasuke is well trained in the arts."

All together now, "Kiba!"

"Okay, okay! I'll stop!" Kiba enjoyed making them laugh nonetheless, sitting on the ground instead of a log.

"Thank you." Gaara nodded the teen's way, laughing under his breath.

"While everyone's giddy, I suppose now is a good time to discuss some things." Shikamaru wasn't trying to ruin the fun. More so he had to get this guilt off his chest. "First off, I'd like to say I'm sorry for leading you guys into two traps back to back."

It was quiet for a second, no one really expecting that.

"Is he seriou-Man, look, it's alright. We all had a say." Naruto added a lift of his shoulders to show it was nothing. "Stop trying to take all the credit like you did at the siege on Du Son."

"I don't know what the world Naruto is talking about, Shika, but he is right. Heck, I would have led us back to that station to steal more stuff," Kiba mumbled towards the end, wishing he'd picked up that alcohol when he had the chance.

"For what it's worth, I'm trusting you regardless." Sasuke raised a hand fleetingly, going back to slowly rotating his dinner on a stick, noting all of his friends weird comments.

"You've always got me." Gaara, the last reassurance, gave the flustered, clever man a peck on the cheek, holding onto his arm thereafter. "You're a good man for trying to take the burden."

Shikamaru didn't know what to say for a second. He was happy no one was mad at him, but he was not apart of that forgiving croud. "I thank you guys, but I don't-"

"Hey, hey, Gaara already gave you a kiss for apologizing. No one wants to see what will happen if you start crying." Naruto jested with him playfully, feeling that his comrade didn't need to go any further.

"Then hear me out, I would love to hear everyone's ideas on what we should do to get the stones. I won't be the final say." Shikamaru's plan was not to dodge responsibility, but to hopefully come up with something their mentors would not expect. He then noticed their new friend raising a hand. Taking a guess to what the query was, he said, "No, Sasuke, we're not letting you go the compound with us."

Sasuke lowered his hand, pouting and taking a bite out of his hot-dog when it was done cooling.

Kiba thought to himself about their old homes that he harbored no real fondness of. "We could wear disguises?"

"Or we could sneak in?" Naruto threw that option out there, remembering a few places they could get in by.

"Firstly, where are the stones being held?" The question from Gaara was directed at the one teen that was fresh out of the compound. "Do each of our mentors still house one each?"

"You know it." Naruto nodded, having a test munch, loving it. "I don't know where in their rooms specifically though because we aren't allowed in this new compound to snoop around."

"I see. Then we'll have to search and be quick about." Shikamaru took everyone's mention into consideration, and the info. "We could do a combination of everything to throw them off? Not sure what we would do to disguise ourselves as though."

"You guys could wear those hoodie things again if you wanted," Sasuke proposed, cracking open a water bottle as he held onto the hot-dog stick with his legs closed tight, "That way they'd be confused about who they're chasing if need be."

"That's actually not a bad decoy set up, bud." Naruto nudged his friend, laughing at how unprepared they were by nearly spilling the water bottle.

"It's really not." Shikamaru pondered a loud, "If one of us were spotted, we could alert the other and switch fairly easily. They also wouldn't expect us to wear the same wardrobe again, hopefully..."

"Alert the other? Are your forgetting what happened last time? You never explained!"

"Ah, right." The clever man looked sheepishly at Gaara by his side. "I had Kakashi and Obito chase me."

"And?"

"I cut Kakashi and dropped a room on both of them. I'd made an exit route, but it backfired sort of." That sheepish smile didn't leave Shikamaru's face. "They're both missing an eye at least. Figure it as payback."

"Well shit, thanks!" Naruto held up hot-dog in a toast like fashion.

"Obito's going to skin you alive." Gaara gently punched the smart fool he was holding onto. "Don't go signing death warrants without asking anyone!"

"They'll have to catch me first. As we see, they can't."

"Cocky, cocky." The ginger warned. "There's a reason you ran from them."


	29. Camp

Shikamaru didn't deny the claim to his arrogance. "I'm overly confident that I can outrun them then. The point is, the hoodies did work. They had no idea who I was till I opened my mouth."

"But some of our hoodies have blood on them? Naruto also lost his!" Kiba pointed accusingly, hand smacked down by the whiskered teen.

"We've got more! We always stock up before a siege." Naruto shrugged at the bad memory mixing with others, not really sure of the issue anymore. "Don't we?"

"Eh, I don't know about a siege, but we do have one or two hoods left?" Gaara counted off the top of his head, snuggling closer up to the man next to him.

"Dang, my bad, guys."

"It's not much of a lost, Naruto. You'll just get the spare since Sasuke's not going anyway." Nara solved that up quick. "Our hoodies can be washed out some also so, I think we've got something here. Elaborate more in the morning?"

The answer he received was a resounding and unanimous, "Yes!"

"Wow, okay! If you guys didn't want to talk about it, just say so!"

"Oh hush, Shika! We knew it had to be done." The redhead chuckled and poked the clever man.

"You mean like how we have to all talk about our experiences now?" Shikamaru brushed off the poke and sulked to himself for a minute.

"Don't be so grumpy, man! This might actually help us." Naruto finished his second hot-dog, tossing the stick in the fire. He truly wanted Sasuke to have another say in something and become apart of the group more. "How about a song to get us in the mood?"

Sasuke snickered at his friend who pulled out an invisible banjo. "You still sing?!"

"Believe it or not, in my memory about you busting your teeth, I found out I did. Don't know why I would forget something like, but oh well. Figured I'd give it a try now. Might help clear my mind."

"Not blondy, you probably have a nice voice." Kiba gave him that one compliment, having forgotten he'd heard him sing long ago before.

"Why thank you, Kiba."

"I don't need a song." Shikamaru couldn't cover his ears, and so had no choice in the end. His partner on his arm found it amusing. "This is your fault."

"Sshh and listen," Gaara said with a smile and nuzzle, "Go ahead, Naruto."

Naruto nodded, rolling his shoulders, arms up in position. He proceeded to pretend to string a chord and say, "I call this parody, the Sadness Song Song. Erhm, let's gather around the campfire and sing our sadness song. Our S-A-D-N-E-S-S S-O-N-G- song."

Sasuke's jaw dropped. ' _He...he.. remembers spongebob?! ...wait.. did he say-?!'_

"And if you don't think that we need help then oh god you sure are wrong, so please tryyy to follooooow alooong _,_ " Naruto sang out, elbowing Sasuke to do the part.

"U-Uhh, bum, bum, bumm?!"

The not so blond then took off, forcing everyone to keep up, "We were kidnapped when we were young and forced to get along! We were kidnapped when were young and misery was our bond! And if you don't think that we need help then oh god you sure are wrong, so please tryyy and nooow sinnng alooong! S-A-D-N-E-S-S S-O-N-G song! Kiba!"

Kiba, unprepared, but excited, fumbled, hitting his lap with his fists. "S-SING! S-A-D-N-E-S-S _-_ "

"Shikamaru!" Naruto cut him off, pointing across at the man who only gave him a deadpan expression that bluntly said, 'No.' That didn't deter this whiskered singer one bit. "Awesome!"

Sasuke tried to say something, but the parody wasn't over just yet.

"It might not wooork, but it'll buy tiimmme, if you'd just go aloooooong!" Naruto strung away, stopping with one final over dramatic string and shout, "Oooh therapy _!_ "

Kiba was the only one clapping ecstatically afterwards.

"Thank you, thank you." His mock bowing stopped when noticed the disturbed looks his way from three not pleased peeps. "What? Not convinced? I can sing another song if you want-"

"NO! We can talk!" Shikamaru became all for it now. "I'll go first!"

Sasuke reckoned he'd be happy about this, or mildly prepared. He was far from it. This likely had to do with what he'd seen and heard that made him feel as if he wasn't ready to hear this.

"I guess I should start with what I don't remember. Let's see, I don't recall my first days at the compound to much anymore or how I...got there. It's fuzzy and bothersome to think about sometimes, um... What little there is, is of Gaara. The moment I saw him, I was afraid of him…" Shika looked to the ginger on his harm briefly, unable to speak until he changed his sight elsewhere. "You, I mean- because you were so nice compared to everyone else! I didn't know what to do with that, but I realized I didn't want you to go away... So I decided to not off myself in that dumb place." Shikamaru took a break and bite out of his long since cooled hot-dog.

"Stop lying." Gaara hugged his partner's arm tighter, being the only one thinking Nara was joking. "You would of been fine without me."

"In what world, Gaara? I hated every moment there. We all did. We did things we didn't want to do. We learned things we will always remember, and we've forgotten things we should've held on to. They made us weak against them and fearless to everyone else!" He tossed the now empty stick into the fire and went to grabbing a water bottle. "On the bonus negative side, the worst thing I can remember happening was...my mentor existing. He's a disgusting, perverse person that...I… I don't like him. I want to leave it at that. Someone else go." He quickly doused that water bottle like it could wash away any all troubling experiences.

"That's okay…" Sasuke didn't dare pester. He left the issue to be, sensing the undesired stress.

"I'll go next then," Gaara spoke up, hands gripping the fabric of Shika's coat sleeve. "I don't remember when I got there, but I remember how... I was given away by my family."

The question sprung forth from the curious Uchiha teen, "What for? Was it the same thing like with Neji's parents?"

"No, no..., my family hated me no matter how much I... loved them." Gaara swallowed hard, putting a twitching smile on afterwards. "...So, they decided I needed to become of some real use. Obito took it upon himself that he was saving me at that point, but in reality, my parents had tried to sell me at the fair where I found one of the stones on the same day. It was misfortune really. After that…. here I am! I learned that love is a given and I chose to give because it feels good to care for others and it helps to forget..to forget.. a lot of things...There, done!" He smiled painfully like all was okay, suppressing countless tormenting moments like the man next to him.

Shikamaru gave a fleeting, loving and reassuring head bump to the ginger's forehead, rubbing their hand.

"I'm so… sorry."He meant that to all of them, wishing he could of done something.

"My turn." Kiba raised a hand, bringing it back down so he could fidget with his fingers while he talked, "I don't remember anything early on either. Uuhh, what I do know is sometimes I black out and I don't know why... Obito made me like that to fix me for some reason, but I don't think it was necessary. I'm fine the way I am, t-to me that is... When I wake up though after the- um, darkness? Everything hurts for some reason and there's ..um… a lot of blood and...and-"

"It's alright, Kiba." Sasuke stopped him, seeing the pupper teen had started crying some and not even aware of it. "Don't force yourself."

Kiba shrugged, wiping at his face when it started to itch. "I'm not! I just...I don't remember a lot of things, okay?! I feel like I've done terrible things when I don't!" No one said anything for a second, startling him. "Oh my god! Have I-"

"No, Kibbles. Relax, you're good!" Naruto was the first one to jump to the rescue and lie his ass off, feeding into blissful ignorance. "You can't be worse than me."

"If you say so...." Kiba fiddled with his fingers more.

"Bah, it's okay. I might as well finish it off so we can move on to desert. How about this," Naruto took a moment, uncomfortable, nervous, and unsure all at once, "I'll jump the lack of memory train as well starting my first days there and how. I don't recall anything really bad happening to me besides going hungry some days, beat up some, and locked in the box like we've all been at some point. Everything improved when I got my shit together. I was able to sleep in a bigger bed with Kakashi, more food, presents-"

"You did what?!" Sasuke asked, appalled and perplexed to how he was the only one bothered yet again. "Is that not wrong?!"

"Everyone has shared a bed, well, with their own Mentor that is," Gaara said quietly while looking down at the fire, "I know what you're thinking, but Kakashi would never hurt Naruto like that..."

"That doesn't make any of this right!"

"Sasuke, bud, I'm fine." Naruto failed miserably at calming the raven down.

"How?! I obviously know you guys are hiding things from me that you don't want me to know! The bad part is, I'm fine with that! I don't want to know anymore because it's just going to piss me off that I can't do anything about it no matter how much I want to!" Sasuke wasn't losing his mind, more so he was filling up with loathing at the situation. His buddy beside him tried to hug him, but he shrugged the embrace attempt off. "I'm serious! I want you guys to know what normal living is supposed to be!"

"When were you ever an expert on normal living?" Shikamaru redirected this all back at the unsettled teen. "From what Naruto's told us and what we've observed and heard from you, you don't live anymore of a normal life than we do."

"Yeah but I did, kind of! I had one and then-" He stopped, taking a step back to that day and then now, laughing about it. "Here I am?"

"Do you regret knowing me now?" Naruto, afraid of the answer, kept his focus on the bag of marshmallows he was trying to get open, thinking sweets were a good idea at this crucial time. "You'd probably be home with better friends and family and what not."

"I can see you owning a pet." Gaara added, picturing it as a nice life.

"Or an all white fluffy dog-o!" Kiba hugged his knees to chest in excitement, daydreaming about a puppy of his own he could of swore he had at some point.

"I see him being some troublesome nerd." Shikamaru stated that in a way in which he clearly excluded himself as such.

"What? No! Guys, I don't regret anything! I'm happy to be here, curse or not. I mean there's some things I could live without that I've been suppressing, but I'm happy!" Sasuke knew he did something right when the redhead clapped.

Gaara also fake threw confetti for bonus effect. "Woo! Welcome to our world!"

"Celebration!" Kiba shouted, reaching over and grabbing the box of graham crackers by Naruto's foot, holding it up in the air.

Sasuke shook his head, calling this mock therapy session a success nonetheless. "I'm going to need so many marshmallows right now."

"I'm good." Shikamaru opted out, realizing he wasn't allowed to leave when he was pulled back down. "Do I really have to stay?"

"You should at least try one before turning in, Shika," Naruto said with a glance his way, spotting Gaara whisper something to the clever man.

"I'll stay."

"What for?"

"Mind your business, Naruto." Shikamaru scratched the back of his head and looked off, only a tiny bit flustered.

"Whatever, just keep it down tonight," Naruto uttered under his breath, handing his buddy next to him the fluffy white delights and then the grahams from Kiba.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing, Shika! Want a marshmallow?"

"Naruto, behave. I would like one though, and two chocolate squares." Gaara held out his hand, showcasing he had a sweet tooth. "Shika, stop staring at me."

"So I have to eat fit meals but you can skip dinner and go to desert?!"

"Hey, anyone have any sanitation kits?" Sasuke asked over the bickering couple while toasting a single marshmallow. He wanted to wash up after the events of the day and the food before he turned in.

"LAKE!" Kiba proclaimed aloud with a mouth full already, scaring only the raven.

_\::/ Fun \::/_

Naturally, the bathing and such commenced after the ones who partook in smores, ate their fill. Since they had a new party member, a buddy and turn system was put in place for safety reasons. Everyone had to go in sets of two so as no one went alone. Gaara and Shikamaru went first, discovering they were at the wrong location due to the lack of the highly anticipated falling string of water. Later, due to a secret bet, Shikamaru got stuck on babysitting duty when it was Kiba's turn.

Upon their return, the pupper teen was the happiest. "I'm clean!"

"Good job, Kiba!" Gaara praised, laughing softly at Nara who didn't share the same spirit. "What happened to you?"

"Him! He swam around half the damn time like we are at a fucking resort and faked like he was drowning twice." Shikamaru groaned, going over to his tent and dropping down inside. "Naruto, Sasuke, you're up next! Make it quick, no fucking around!"

"Sweet!" Naruto was sitting in front of his own tent waiting patiently with everything he needed in his arms and his buddy by his side. "Ready?"

Sasuke took in a deep breath, wondering why the hell he agreed to be his bath partner. He tried to pray, ' _Dear Heavenly Father, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod…. and your staff…?! They...they...'_ He didn't dare finish that thought. "We should just get this over with."

"Wooh!" Naruto bustled on up, excited, pulling the raven along. "See you guys in a bit!"

Sasuke used that time speed walking to mentally prepare himself again. ' _We're both guys! This is fine. It's not like I don't respect his space and privacy! I simply won't look at him. I'll stay in my lane, turn away, wash off and be good to go. He deserves it!'_  That's what he told himself was the right thing given the circumstances. On a side note, he wasn't sure exactly what his best friend would do. His face heated nicely on his cheeks, forcing him to look down as he was pulled along.

"Hey Sasuke, you're not nervous are you?" Naruto asked, glancing back and smiling.

"Why would I be...?"

"Uhuh, don't worry. I can wait till you're done if you want. I know you enough by now."

Sasuke relaxed, smiling. "Then what will you do meanwhile?"

"I don't know. Watch? What do you think?"

' _He would be sarcastic.'_  Either way, it made the raven feel all kinds of weird. He kept looking down to get himself under control, missing out on the sparsely shimmering lake under a blanket of a glittery navy sky.

"We're here!" Naruto announced to the world, letting his nervous comrade go. He made his way over to a nice spot at bolder, placing his things on the leveled surface.

Sasuke met him there, eyeing the organization of everything the boss had brought. "You're going to wash your hair? Wouldn't Shika want you to keep that in?"

"Heh, this is for you, not me."

"Me? My hair doesn't smell...Does it?" The raven grabbed a bang and brought it under his nose.

"Haha, I was just joking. I forgot my hair was dyed." He laughed at the glare he caused his way. "What I do? That was a harmless joke, Sasuke. Come on."

"I guess." The pale wonder rolled his eyes with a small smile, sitting his things down. He began removing his clothes, feeling a pair of eyes on him seconds in. When he looked annoyed towards his goofy friend's way, he was met with a tan and completely naked sight. He quickly averted his eyes, shouting, "How'd you get undress that fast?!"

"What do you mean? It's just clothes? I slip them off." Naruto cocked his head to the side, hands on his hips. "You need help or something?"

"NO! No, no, no, no!" Sasuke backed away and around to the other side of the rock, facing outward to the woods. "I'm good!"

"Suit yourself." Naruto waded into the lake till he was waist deep, shivering and stopping by the side where there was a rocky like slope going down from land into the water. There he was able to sit on and be half way covered at best. "I'm over here when you're ready."

"Sure!" Sasuke undressed in a paced fashion, turning around afterwards to see where exactly his friend was. Lucky for him, it was a modest place to relax and wash off at. The water was calm, inviting to the eyes and a welcoming luxury to enjoy that night. He moved to join Naruto over on the rock, covering himself halfway with a white rag till he was in the water. At the sloped bolder, he sat on the other side, backs facing each other. The comfortable little and chat-less experience actually worried him for a second. "You okay over there, boss?"

"Absolutely not!...The water's freezing! I think the fire gave me a false sense of warmth." Naruto shivered, wincing once in a while when he touched the soapy rag to his skin.

"Hm, you always liked hot baths."

"You got that right! What about you? Please don't tell me you take cold showers?"

Sasuke snickered, having no trouble whatsoever with the icy water. "So what if I do?"

"Then you must be at full mast all the time or some kind of ice prince." Naruto grumbled while getting up. There was no way in hell he could deal with this for much longer. He'd washed off enough for his taste. "Bud, I'm done. I've got to get something on."

"Okay! I'll be a few minutes."

"A few minutes?" Naruto paused, mid walking up the rock, not wanting to go through the water. "Are you crazy?!"

"I like to be clean."

"And catch hyperthermia?"

"Hypothermia, boss." Sasuke smiled, suds-ing up his hair, hearing his friend grumble in annoyance.

"Smart ass bastard- FUCK!" Naruto screamed abruptly after taking a misstep and falling off the rock onto the bank of the lake halfway with a nice splash sound. "Ahh, dammit!"

"That's what you get for being mean."

"Screw you! I could of died!" Naruto winced, having landed on his back. He sat up, moving a hand to his lower posterior. He didn't fall that far or land that hard but it sure felt like it. Looking up, he was met with amused onyx eyes from over the rock. "Enjoying yourself?"

Sasuke smirked, laying down prone against the stone surface. "Not as much as that leech."

Naruto fell for it. He scrambled back out of the lake in such haste that he tripped again, searching himself like crazy thereafter. When he heard uncontrolled familiar and adorable laughter, he blushed and glared at the suspect. "That's funny to you?!"

"Aw come on, Naruto," Sasuke said, on his back now and looking up at the sky, stifling a chuckle, "That was harmless!"

Naruto shook his head and shrugged, laughing softly anyway. "Lucky I lo-like you!" he stuttered, heart pounding instantly for a second. He held back his feelings because of the innocence of the moment. He sighed in relief when the raven continued to laugh obliviously. ' _That was close.'_  He was sure he'd tell his buddy how he felt, but when was a good time...or the right life? He worried for a second that conveying his feelings might not be the best option till after all was said and done. Till then, they could have these little moments surely...

_\::/ Cuddle \::/_

"They should be coming back soon." Gaara laid on his stomach in an open tent with his arms crossed under his chin. Another arm, belonging to Shikamaru, was sprawled out over his waist. "Do you think we should go get them instead?"

"Mmmm, not a chance." Shikamaru mumbled with his eyes closed, partly daydreaming, pulling the redhead closer. He was having a nice fantasy about marrying a hypocritical guy and living with them happily in an apartment before they could own a house, a dog for Kiba and-

"Shikamaru? Hey, you can't be asleep already? Shika-"

"What, what is it?" He blinked away the daydream, grumpy but responsive.

Gaara said, with an innocent smile, "You don't fall asleep till 12:00. It's only 10:06."

"Well, I was thinking about some things."

"What was it about?"

Shikamaru closed his eyes again and said, "Take a guess." Seconds later he felt something against his lips that was soft and full. He felt it again not to soon after and mumbled, "You can keep kissing me all you want. I'm not going to go get them."

"You're no fun."

With one eye open then shut to that statement, the clever man shrugged best he could. He knew the ginger all too well. "Uhuh."

Gaara smiled inside, impressed, watching the woods. If he wasn't so comfortable, he'd get up to check on them. A part of him was sure they were okay which was likely why he really wasn't budging. The sound of twigs snapping alerted him to lift his head up and peer out more. Relief followed when he heard voices.

"I'm surprised you remembered the way back!"

"You have no faith in me whatsoever, Sasuke."

"Yes I do sometimes! I only question you when it comes to certain areas."

"Like what?!"

"Welcome back you two!" Gaara greeted, ready to turn in now that his nerves could calm down.

"Hey, Gaara!" Sasuke waved on his way to his tent, kneeling down to find Kiba inside and somewhat asleep. "Huh, he was serious."

"Mhm! Don't worry. Shika warned him to keep to himself."

"But I wanted to sleep with Sasuke, Gaara." Naruto frowned, having put away his things already.

"You can if you want, boss. I think there's room." The raven crawled inside, reconsidering what he'd said after seeing the small space. It was too late. His eager friend came bumbling in with a blanket between him and the sleepy pupper teen. There was barely any elbow room at this stage. "...I take it back!"

"I'm sure you guys will figure it out quietly. Goodnight!" Gaara zipped up the tent, informing them they were on their own.

"Night, Gaara!" Naruto shouted, annoying Kiba.

"Goodnight!" Sasuke tried to move around to get comfortable on his inflatable mattress till his whiskered interest wanted to do otherwise.

"Can we like join your's and Kiba's mattress together or something? Half the ground and half a mattress doesn't work."

"Aaahhh, Naruto! Can't you go sleep in your own tent!" Kiba groaned, bringing his pillow over his head.

"Thanks for going first, Kibbles." Naruto grabbed the mattress and pulled it over near his buddy's own, laughing when Kiba shrieked.

Sasuke shook his head, slipping under the covers and turning away from them. He could hear them quietly arguing with each other still. Aggravated already, he said, "I'll kick both of you out if you guys keep fighting!"

It worked like magic and brought silence to the tent for the moment.

Smiling victoriously at that, the raven bent an arm under the pillow and rested the other beneath by a hand. That simper faded when he felt someone poke his back. "Hmm, Boss?"

"I might have a nightmare, so I'm apologizing in advance if I wig out," Naruto whispered, grumbling at the hug from behind by Kiba, "Kibbles, seriously, man? Off."

"I got your back," Kiba said with a cuddle and a yawn.

"I'm here for you too." Sasuke chuckled, turning around to hold onto one of his troubled friend's hands. "Better?"

Naruto nodded, feeling safer somewhat. His friends really did mean the world to him all the more at times like this. "Thanks guys, goodnight."

"Night, not blondy."

"Night, boss."


	30. The Last Warning

Naruto fell asleep all the more comfortably with a firm grip on the gem in his free hand. All was due to that sense of security he got from his friends. Their ability to make him forget his troubles were just what he needed if not for a little while.

_~/./~ Session #2: Welcome Back ~/./~_

_The moment he was truly asleep, he awoke suddenly in an old room that resembled a medieval like setting. Holding onto that gem still, he laid there staring up at the wooden beams on the ceiling. His rapid breathing then finally calmed down and the rest of his other senses kicked in. For instance, he could smell a smoky texture._

_It was awfully pleasant._

_Naruto then looked to his left and saw an oak cut stool with a withering bible and broken cross resided. Deep down, he knew those belonged to him. The flickering candle flame was the only light source here._

_He knew where he was._

**"Look who's finally woken."**

_The voice didn't startle him, for it sounded like Shikamaru's own. When he turned around to his left and saw the same three knights that had been chasing him, all seated around in their own way, that scared the living hell out of him. He sat up and backed away, careful not to fall off the other side. He tried his best to hide his fear and clueless nature to what was happening. He turned his sight to the gem, thinking perhaps if he let go and grabbed it again, it would reset._

_He did just that and nothing happened. The reality of it all was that he had no choice but to face them, literally._

_Naruto looked up, hands by his side on the canopy. The knights were all armored the same. A difference laid in the physical aspects and positions._

_The center knight had long black hair seeping out of his helmet. He was sitting on a chair with the back end to the front._

_The shortest knight standing to the right of the long haired one had an obvious bright red color of his own barely showing out of his helmet._

_As for the last knight, he was crouched the closest to the bedside, peering over royal sheets with those slits of his. He was the first to speak with a familiar voice as well._ **"Careful, Commander. You'll fall."**

_Naruto didn't know why it took him so long then to make the connection. After all, they were his friends._ "Kiba?"

_The response he achieved was a tilt of the head from the questioned knight._

**"Forgive him, Menma. He doesn't adjust well to the many names you've been calling him,"** t _he center knight spoke spitefully._

**"It would serve best, my Master, if you refer to all of us by the ones given to us since the beginning."**

_Naruto didn't have to guess who was who anymore, nor did he feel to afraid. He scooted forward away from the edge to the middle of the bed. There he sat indian styled and said to the seemingly redhead knight who spoke to him,_ "I'll do my best- uhh, Ishida."

**"It shouldn't be too troublesome. Here in our quarters, you're mind should be sound."**

"Whatever you say... Moriku."  _Naruto stayed on the cautious side to be safe. Strangely enough though, they were right. He had no weird memories randomly popping up anymore. He was really feeling for himself. Therefore calm, he could focus._ "Why am I seeing you guys, if you don't mind me asking? I thought you all wanted to hurt me or something."

**"Would you prefer if it was Hiei?"** _A hint of sadness spilled out of Ishida._

_Moriku eased up out of his chair, clearly peeved._ **"Here you thought he'd changed, Ishida."**

"I have!"  _Naruto tried to convey his real intentions, stopping them from leaving._ "I didn't mean to upset you guys! Please, don't leave!"

**"Please?"** _The center knight laughed, diverted._ **"Since when did that embed in your vocabulary?"**

**"** **He smells a...anew again."** _Toriumi crawled up on the bed and over to his old comrade that proceeded to become smaller than what he remembered, and wreaked of witchcraft._ **"Looks different too. Like, his hair is fake... and he's still cursed.."**

"You can smell that?"  _He tried not to shy away from the big dog like man._

**"He can smell the devils trail is all, so do not burden your mind. Your change is for the great skies, my Master."** _Ishida beamed, cheering up and coming over to sit on the bed beside his_ _unfortunate leader._ **"It brings out your youth each time for some peculiar reason... Soon you're very existence will cease-"** _he paused, mid reaching out to touch the alarmed teen's hair,_ **"Oh my, do we scare you?"**

_Naruto shrugged nervously, not sure what was the best answer._

**"Here."** _Ishida removed his helmet to show that behind the scary armor was a beautiful, younger, redheaded man that appeared kind like this life's counterpart._ **"This is better, yes?"**

"Definitely!"  _Naruto smiled out of relief at the familiar face. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the center knight took him the wrong way._ "Moriku, I didn't mean-"

" **Save your breath."** _Moriku grumpily snatched off his own helmet and threw it to the side, showing his rather ticked face and scarred right eye._ **"All that matters is your comfortable as always."** _The one that statement was truly aimed at, remained forever ignoring._

**"Should it put the Commander's guard down, I shall as well."** _Toriumi removed his helmet, unruly brown hair popping out around a simple, red triangle marked face._

"Thanks guys."  _Naruto nodded, turning back to Moriku._ "Look, I didn't mean it that way, man. Besides, I'm sure he feels the same way."

**"Who feels what way?"** _Ishida, by now, had Menma's right hand in his own, caressing it._

"Uhh, well, you two are kind of a thing in my time,"  _he said happily, beginning to worry when the redhead looked at him with utmost disgust._

**"Then who shares your bed when Hiei is unavailable?!"**

_Naruto chuckled at the weird question._ "Share my bed? That doesn't sound right at all, Gaara."

**"His name is Ishida! You should be more grateful for his service!"** _Moriku glared, voice stepping out of bounds._

**"Watch your tone in our Master's presence!"** _Ishida withdrew his dagger, willing to use it on without mercy._

"Woah, Wooah! Guys! Chill!"  _Naruto lowered the redheads arm that was fastened to the raised weapon._ "It can't be that serious!"

**"But it is, Commander. Do you not value Ishida's body anymore?"** _Toriumi asked, wondering why his leader was becoming weirder and weirder._

"Value his body? Wait, you mean like...OH! NO! No! What the hell?!"  _He backed away, terrified by the idea._ "I see you like a brother or a parent at best!"

_Ishida happiness zapped from his face, leaving tears to build up there._ **"S-So...i** **t's finally happened then... You no longer desire me."**

"You can't be serious?"  _Naruto didn't think it was the ginger who was crazy, but rather the situation. He couldn't correct himself this time since the one he intended to explain this to, begrudgingly left the room like his life depended on it._ "Okay... I really need to start reading up on this shit..."

**"You might not find this in the written words, Commander."** _Toriumi warned him, coming to an odd laying position on the bed against Menma's knee, cuddling like a pet._ **"There are many underlying parts that the commoners did not know, only suspected, or merely hid away. Take prince Hiei for example, there's speculation that he's not really the first king's only son! It's absurd."**

**"Preposterous as it is, there are more worthy things to discuss... Like what more would you like to remember and destroy now, Menma?"** _Moriku brought his chair closer, sitting back down on the backwards seat and propping his arms up, crossed._ **"Don't get the wrong idea. The things you've been destroying are awful traits from your former life. Such as your never ending sexual desires at times when Hiei refused to give in."**

"Was I really that much of a dick?"  _Naruto scratched the back of his head, for once happy he couldn't remember something._

**"You do what you want, Menma."**

**"Or you wouldn't be where you are, Commander."**

"Who brainwashed me into misinterpreting that?"  _He knew the answer to his own question right away. Groaning, he face palmed._ "This is so fucked!"

**"Maybe it's not. You are different than the man you once were...less of a man, but I digress."**

"You're just saying that because I'm not into Gaara!"

**"His name is Ishida, but yes. A part of me does take immense satisfaction in your new circumstances. We all have undesirable traits, Sir."** _Moriku leaned more against the chair, smirking at how distraught the teen was._

**"Don't stress, Commander. This is unlike you."** _Toriumi pleaded, not to comfortable with the change._

"How can I not?! Look at what's happened! Actually, why are we in my room?!"  _Naruto looked around the worn out place._

**"If I had to take a guess, I'd say you are experiencing some rather deep regret. This is where it all started after our last battle."** _Moriku observed his old boss, looking for any signs that he might be wrong._

_Naruto paid attention, finding that odd._ "Huh, apparently I tend to feel things I'm not aware of quite frequently then. What happened here?"

**"This is where you decided we should dispatch of the royal family, Commander."** _Toriumi looked up at his leader and smiled._ **"We did good!"**

_The center knight laughed._ **"We did our job, yes. Unfortunately, we were hunted down and killed days apart after that by the people seizing their opportunity for justification without hesitation. Each of us, except you, was buried with a stone in hopes our mortified bodies would warn off the curious. They never thought a minor form of us would come back. Shame you didn't get the same treatment."**

"W-Why wasn't I buried like you guys?"  _He harbored fright at the answer for good reason._

 **"You abandoned us the moment the people turned. That gem around your neck became more important to find than to protect us."**   _There was rightful loathing dripping in Moriku's voice._ **"When they couldn't find you then, they buried your favorite Lieutenant with the stone and proceeded to hunt you down afterwards. Take a guess if they found you or not."**

 _Naruto touched the emerald around his neck, mournfully._ "I'm so sorry...I-I would never do that to you guys!"

**"Yet again, here we are, Menma."**

**"Commander, I've- I was upset with you for so long, but I really don't believe you'd abandon us. I always thought you were searching for a way we could all be together again."** _Toriumi smiled big this time with questionable canines._

"Yeah... that."  _Naruto shared one back sheepishly, knowing the truth deep down._ "I- I'm really so-"

**"Cease with your informal apologies. It's... It is beneath you."** _Moriku sighed, afraid to admit he really didn't mind._ **"I bet Hiei is becoming rather accustomed quickly."**

"Hiei? Where is he?"

**"He's above. You may leave when you're done."**

_Naruto sighed, glancing up at his aged, clever comrade._ "Why are you guys in different places?"

**"Take a guess, Menma. Everyone atones for their actions despite what happened to them. There is no pity when you arrive at the gates if you've never repented."**

_Toriumi then looked perplexed._ **"I never thought we'd go here though, Moriku. I thought we were doing the right thing. It's not as hot as I assumed it would be at least. The torture is about the same as our kings cast on us so, the breaks are nice..."**

"You mean I... damned all of you?"  _Naruto let the streams flow, feeling their suffering._

**"I've always had my doubts, Menma. I could have challenged your command anytime."**

"Why do I feel like you would have been killed if you did?"  _He asked with a sniffle._

 **"Because I would have. At least there was a chance we all wouldn't be here if I did make a change somehow."**   _Moriku smiled, winking at the teen._ " **Sometimes, death is a necessary freedom for not just oneself."**

 _Naruto shook his head in denial._ "That's not-! I can save you guys this time!"

**"We are already technically dead, Menma. You've been given many chances to end this curse with the likeness of us many times in the form of bewitchment. Do that."**

"How?!"

**"You have to let them die."**

"That's the exact opposite of what I want to do!"  _Naruto stared at Moriku like he was the crazy one._

**Moriku grinned, resting his cheek on a fist. "Oh is it now? Where back to what you want to do? That kind of thinking is what got you here in the first place."**

"No, I think it's because none of you probably want to die!"

**"We're already- You never listen... Look, no one wants to die, Menma. Sometimes people give their life to save others. In their sacrifice, there is life-"**

"You've lost your damn mind."  _Naruto moved to get up off the bed, ready for this nightmare or whatever to be over with._

_Moriku carried on anyway,_ **"** _**-** _ **and solace. You can end this repetitive** **hell if you just let them perish! How many more chances do you think you're going to get?! Have you not noticed how out of place your curse is becoming to where it's barely coherent anymore?! Things are happening way too fast and out of sequence! You're fading! Nothing will matter if you keep-!"**

"Fuck off, Moriku!"  _Naruto didn't want to hear anymore of the blunt truth. He moved past him to the door, choosing his own path._

**"Uh, Commander! I wouldn't do that! Ishida is still mad at you!"**

"He'll get over it!"  _The whiskered male just wanted to leave. He ended up stumbling back onto the floor instead when the door was flung open. There stood a tear struck redhead that wasn't looking so pretty anymore or mature._ "...G-Garaa-"

 **"THAT IS NOT MY NAME!"** _Ishida shouted, brokenhearted, a blade held in both hands at his sides with bear themed pommels. He sniffled and twitched all in a disturbing manner._ " **You- You shouldn't be like this. This isn't my Master!"**

**"Ishid-"**

**"SHUT UP, MORIKU! I-I'm TRYing to talk to him quietly by myself."**

_Moriku did him one better, he scooted his chair back away from them. The more dog like comrade came over and hid behind him, frightful._

_No one was more terrified than Naruto. He tried to move a second later but was stopped by those two blades piercing the fabric of his clothing by his shoulders. He was force straddled next, tightly as his face was cupped. He swallowed his dread that gave him a shaky voice to talk with,_ **"H-Hey Ishi-Ishida, c-can you get off me, p-please?"**

**"Begging should never escape your lips or cross your mind... We gravel before you! You're the Master here!"** _Ishida said with a twisted mirth, thinking about the old times._ " **We'd do anything for you. I'd do anything. Look where we are!"** _He caressed the whiskered face lovingly with his thumbs. Then, almost to himself in a trance, he muttered under his breath,_ **"Why can't you forget him?"**

_Naruto wanted to wake up. Simple as that. This creepy shit wasn't right and he was beginning to freak the fuck out. He didn't dare try to make any sudden moves. Instead, he looked to the other guys for help. Off the bat, Toriumi was a no go. He was cowering like he would be next. Moriku had the nerve to look jealous about the whole thing. He was reminded of the real threat when the redhead kissed his cheek. His eyes widened, but his fear kept him from looking._

**"In all our years together, in all my years protecting you, serving you… you never avoided me like this."** _Ishida wiped a stray tear from out of the corner of his right eye. He used that same damp finger tipped hand to grip a hold of dark spike-y hair and jerk._ **"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"**

"Y-Yes! Yes! I'm sorry."  _Naruto decided then that it was best to wonder occasionally for a way out._

 **"** **Christ! That right there is why you can't be Menma! He'd never seek penance for anything or from any man! His strength scared the guilty to do that for him!"** _Ishida pulled out one of the blades from the floor and held it above the teen's heart._   **"We need to reset this till you come back right!"**

"I-I can't actually die here, can I?"  _Naruto winced when he felt the tip of the blade press against his chest._

**"Anythings possible, Commander."** _Toriumi whispered to him, cowering back again when the ginger glared at him._

**"He's correct. God forbid there be a way out,"** _Moriku said nonchalantly, looking fleetingly to door to the room._

_That was all Naruto needed. He quickly formulated a plan based on what he'd learned so far and what he already knew._ "Ishida! B-Before you do this, I'd like a, … a kiss."

_Ishida froze, pleasantly surprised, but not stupid. He was something else though._ **"Why do you want a kiss?"**

"It's an order not a question."  _Naruto knew he didn't have the courage to back up his voice with bravado. He did know one thing about the redhead though that was certain._

_Hypocrisy._

**"I will never kiss this version of you again."**

"Don't."

_Ishida scoffed with a hint of desire in his voice,_ **"You're buying time. It's not working."** _He pressed the blade more, drawing blood beneath the night shirt._

"A-Ah, why am I still here then?"  _Naruto grinned in such a way it added to throwing the redhead over the edge, not according to plan at all._

_But it worked._

_Naruto winced when he was kissed rather harshly by full lips, cringing every second, tasting salt from tears mixing in. He toughed it out and moved the blade away moderately paced at first. He then roughly shoved the man off of him. He hustled up off the floor and made a beeline for the door, shoulder thrusting it down._

_Behind him as he fell into the void, all he heard was his name screamed out in pure loathing and a pitch longing,_ **"MENMA!"**

_He shut his eyes tight and grabbed a hold of that necklace again. He felt the air wrap around him to send him smack against icy concrete. Groaning, he turned his head to the side and laid there for a good few seconds, grimacing from the impact, but not letting go._

_When Naruto finally opened his eyes fully, he was met with a wide, blue light lit open space encircled by gray walls like the floors._

_There in the center of the tower he came to realize he was in, set a crumbling altar table missing chunks out of its corners. A body lay out at the top of what it could. The person's ivory gown was long and wide enough to drape off the sides. Finding this scene unorthodox to the usual, he shifted up off the ground slowly and made his way over to the person. His footsteps were the only heavy noise till he reached the altar, for he now donned armor with no helmet._

_He took no recognition of this, only the weight change. Feeling heavy, his pace dwindled till he was there at the stone table._

_All he could do at the moment was lose his breath._

_The person on such a cold surface was none other than Sasuke, not Hiei. His skin doubled in paleness, close to blending into shade of the dress. The murdered male's hands rested above the abdomen while a dagger was buried deep in the heart. Onyx eyes were open, riddled with gloom._

_Naruto broke there down to a knee. He wanted to pull the dagger out. He wanted to hold him. He wanted to wake him up. He wanted to make whoever did this, pay! He wanted so many things, but he did nothing because he told himself that this wasn't possible. This would and WILL never happen if he could help it. Still, the image was enough to be forever engraved in his mind. He hit his forehead against the outer side edge of the alter._ "THIS-! THIS ISN'T REAL!"  _he shouted, hating the echo it created, waterworks kicking in again._

**"When it becomes real, what will you do, my love?"**

_Naruto, back in his nightwear, swiped at his blurry vision. Once he could see, he looked to the older man now in Sasuke's place, sitting with his legs crossed at the edge of the altar table beside him._  "H-Hiei?"

_The prince nodded, tilting the teen's chin up more so he could clear the onslaught of salty drops with his gown._ **"Oh, Naruto. You've only ever cried like this once in your life."**

"Why...Why did you do this?!"

**"Simple, I wanted to save my kingdom and future villages from tyranny...and you knights. I needed you to understand you've always valued life in the wrong way. You can't cope with living a lie no matter how hard you claim. You can't fight fire with fire like you did before. Death plus death will equal a massacre. It will bring no one back."**

_Naruto forced himself off the ground, backing away._ "Why do all of you keep telling me the same thing?!"

**"What do you mean, love?"**

"Moriku wants me to let you all die too..."

**"You've spoken with him?! They didn't try to kill you?"** _Hiei, in awe, held a palm to his lips._

"Ishida did...Actually he- um. I think you should kno-"

 **"I know all about your affairs, Menma."** _The prince clasped his hands together in his lap and downcast._ " **I- I'm okay with you-"**

"Are you nuts?! None of this okay!"  _Naruto emphasized with a free arm out wide._ "Why on earth did you love someone like me?!"

**"You're were not a bad man initially and-"**

"You're certifiable! Every time I've gone to sleep since I've put on this fucking necklace, all I've been told and have seen is how awful I was!"  _Naruto ran his fingers through his hair, not sure how much of this he could take._ "I only want to save you guys! That's it! But all of you keep telling me to do nothing! I'm supposed to be changing! Let me make a change!"

_Hiei sighed and shook his head, attempting one more time to make the teen see._ **"If you let that likeness of me and your friends die, with no blood drawn by your hands after, then your curse will be broken. You'll be free as so will your now friends to live the life they deserved."**

"Their names are Sasuke, Kiba, Gaara, and Shikamaru."  _Naruto eyed him, picking up on what he said at first. "_ And I will not let them die while I live. That's something I can't even cope with just thinking about it!"

 **"You have to! Their deaths, no matter what, will not affect the stones. Remember the legend?"** _Hiei missed the confusion on the teen's face due to averting his eyes whenever the not so blond yelled._ **"**   **Why do you think I gave my life? I didn't know you were cursed then or I would have never…. I will forever feel contrite, my love."**

 _Naruto disregard that last part._  "Rewind a second, you just said that the stones won't work? Why is that?"

" **I'm dead... Naruto. I am the last true heir."**

"...Excuse me?!"

" **I thought you understood..."**

"Obviously I don't!"  _Naruto groaned and started to walk around the place, hands on his hips, gears turning._ "Wa- Hold on, so, because Sasuke isn't really you, he's not the true, true heir? So he's not going to die! None of them will!"

**"No, dearest. All of them will die!"**

"What the hell for?!"

 **"Because the stones were never the point- I...I know you're frustrated and you want answers, but please try to understand we are running out of time. Over here,"** _Hiei said desperately as he lifted off the altar table and made his way to a broken window._   _He motioned the teen closer, eagerly. When the not so blond was at his side, he pointed out the window to a temple in the distance._   **"If you really need further proof, go beyond the castle outside the wall to the temple where the oracle resides."**

"The oracle? She's real?"  _Naruto looked curiously on, glancing at the prince._ "Can she tell me how to end this curse?"

**"I believe she will give a likeness of me the same answers I've told you... She is a higher power so maybe you'll believe her."**

**"** Then that's where I'm going."  _Naruto knew to ask Shikamaru about the location in case he forgot. Speaking of forgetting, he was happy Hiei brought up the oracle._ "I need Sasuke?"

 **"Yes, she'll only answer to noble blood. That, he is."** _Hiei pondered to make sure, hoping that would work. The oracle might be able to convince Menma better than he ever could. Chucking it up to a chance, he said,_ " **The temple is slowly sinking into the lake so be careful."**

"Got it, thanks. I'll be seeing you around. I need a break from this madness."  _Naruto patted the prince on the shoulder before stepping back to turn and leave._

**"This is our last meeting, Naruto."**

"Already? Why is that?"  _He slumped back around sluggishly, not wanting anymore surprises._

**"Never mind..."** _Hiei steered away from stressing him out more. The timeline was already scattered, no need to make it worse._ **"You really need to go get some sleep for the events to come."**

"So you're not going to tell me something important again?"  _Naruto waited, annoyed by that smirk and tired._ "Fine! See you next time."  _He spun around and marched over to the door, kicking it open._

**"Good luck, my knight."**

"I don't deal in luck,"  _Naruto mumbled, snatching off the gem and dropping it into the darkness. He figured it would be there on the ground or something when he woke up. He had no idea that it would make him wake his ass up right then._

_~/./~ Session #2: End ~/./~_


	31. We Need To Talk

Like a spring loaded mechanism implemented for a jump scare, Naruto shot upright, hyperventilating, feeling as if he'd run a mile in place. Minor bags took refuge under his heavy ocean eyes. Overall, he looked restless because he didn't get any real sleep. Time works differently down under and on high. He groaned and attempted to get himself under control, dry swallowing. His sight decided to travel around, catching the raven in a pause from packing, staring at him with intent. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked his friend up and down, moving over to be closer. He reached out and cupped their worn whiskered face and asked, "Boss? What happened this time?!"

"I-I think...Well...It's a long- Hold on...what time is it? Why are you packing?" Naruto removed the caring appendages from his cheeks and strained to look past the pale teen to the light coming in through the tent's mini plastic window. "You're fucking kidding me?!"

"You didn't sleep?" He saw the answer to that as a no giving how the not blond glared at him. "It's 12:45 in the afternoon! Gaara convinced Shika to let you sleep in more while I trained with Kiba. I don't think he's going to let you get by another hour."

"You trained already? Dammit!" Naruto dropped back down to the mess of pillows and blankets, catching that his head wasn't flooding with random memories yet. "Huh...that's better at least."

"What's better?" Dips in both edges formed on the raven's lips. "Did you have another nightmare?"

"Fuck yes, bud. I can't go back to sleep for a while. I'm not even going to try with that necklace on at least." Naruto sat up yet again, wincing at a little baby prick on his chest that was the equivalent to pulling a single hair off your harm. Curiously, he touched that area and felt a small rough patch. He looked down best he could and saw a small, dry ring of blood around a slightly bigger than period sized hole.

"Kiba apologies if he scratched you last night, or poked."

The not so blond stared at the cut, internally freaking out. ' _Breathe, breathe...it's okay. He's not here!'_  He told himself this in a rush, clutching the fabric over the scar and closing his eyes. When he opened them back up, a shrill scream burst out his body when a known redhead poked inside the tent.

"AH! What is it?! What I do?!" Gaara damn near fell back on his butt, startled. "Did I interrupt something?!"

Sasuke laughed, shaking his head and holding a hand out to help the oldest from falling back. "Nahh, boss here had another nightmare."

"Oh dear, was it about me?" Gaara teased, chuckle dying out when he saw how terrified the teen was. Self conscious, he adjusted the white scarf around his neck tighter. "Uh...was it?"

"I've...got... so…. much shit to tell you guys," Naruto said between deep intakes of breath. While holding onto his shirt like it was the closest thing for comfort, he noticed something was literally off. Freaking out, he moved that un-clenched hand around, appearing to feel on himself until he finally took a look-see at his chest.

The gem was gone. "Where the fuck is it now?!"

"Naruto, are you still not feeling any better?" Gaara moved to check the male's temperature just to be stopped.

"Oh hel- Don't touch me!" Naruto backed up into the corner, pointing an accusing finger at the hurt redhead. "Tell me who you love, first! It's Shikamaru, isn't it?"

"Naruto!" Sasuke gasped at the unusual demand.

"It's okay, Sasuke. " Gaara smiled nervously anyway, starting to believe he wasn't as quiet last night as he thought he was. "I'm not embarrassed to admit it. I do have feelings along those lines for Shikamaru. He's always been there so... Why do you ask, Naruto? Are you sure you don't want me to check yo-"

"NO! No, no. Stay there! I only need to know if you have any, or ever had any...feelings for me that are not brotherly or fatherly." Naruto remained cautious because if things were different, then he was hoping that the ginger wasn't crazy in the end like he saw.

He clearly didn't listen to what Hiei had said.

Gaara laughed aloud abruptly, stifling it a second later with a cough. He tried to apologize, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I- Of course I- I'm not trying to be rude. I do think you're a great guy, Naruto. But, that's it. You're not my type. I also thought that," he said with a nod towards an unaware Sasuke, "that was more your speed."

Naruto released the world from his lungs in relief, not in anyway offended. "You've no idea how happy I am to hear that."

"I'm glad you approve!"

"I'm glad you're not trying to kill me and kiss me!"

"Why on earth would I do that?!" Gaara asked, disturbed and partly disgusted.

"What kind of dream did you have?" Sasuke snickered at his friend who looked equally unhinged. "Or was this definitely another nightmare?"

"This was a fucking nightmare," Naruto grumbled out through his hands, yawning some after, "I didn't get any sleep at all this time."

"Want to talk about it, boss?"

"I need a minute or so first."

"Well, okay then, Naruto. We'll come back in a few and check on you if you're not out by then." Gaara left the tent first, reluctantly so.

Sasuke followed out with his bags, turning back around to peak inside through the opening to the tent when worry drove him to question,"You sure you want to be alone?"

"Positive, bud." He gave the raven a small but reassuring-ish smile.

As soon as they were gone, he touched his chest again and looked down to confirm two things. One, he was actually cut. Two, the necklace was really gone. He went to searching around in the tent quietly as he could to not cause an alarm.

' _Where the hell could it be? It's not like I dropped it into...into the..'_ He put a hold on that thought, frozen in the middle of rummaging through the sheets and in the area he barely slept in. ' _Nooo! That can't be possible!'_ He didn't want to believe it was now floating in the infinite abyss. Should it be, he knew he'd never find it. He began to wonder if this is what Hiei meant. ' _Why the fuck didn't he just tell me to keep a damn hold of it?! Why did I drop it?!'_ He ignored the fact that on day 1 he was warned to not let it go. Repeating things to him wouldn't have made much of a difference. Naruto groaned at the truth and slumped against the mattress, gripping his hair and cursing himself as well.

He should've listened when he had the chance.

_\::/ Stroll \::/_

At the actual remnants of the kingdom within its walls, off into the woods some ways from the grand Castle itself, stood a tower. It was a big concrete beacon sticking out among the fall painted trees with it's crown. Behind it was a very steep cliff that dropped into sharp, jagged rocks and then, the glorious ocean. Two men made their trek towards this tower, following along the path that the kings themselves strolled on many times to do many horrible things.

The kingdom, being as huge as it was and falling as it did, had many parts to it that were torn down, closed off, or forgotten about. Those sections that suffered neither such thing, became tourists attractions or enclosed for an event called,  _Four Kings Ruins Fair_. A part of once a notorious place was now a medieval fair grounds. The tower itself, as fate would have it, was an off-limits site meant to be for  _history_  purposes.

Who would want to go there anyway?

Nothing good came from that place but death and consequences ridden from dark sorcery. On the inside, all they would find that resided within was a forever crimson stained, withering stone altar table.

It was always meant to soak up such precious bright red liquid and light.

At the door to this tower sending out bad vibrations to the unknown, stood two men now puzzled by what they saw.

"I guess someone left their necklace here."

"It's at the door, Jiraiya. How could they have not seen it?" Obito knelt down anyway and picked up the gem by the string attached, holding it up for both to see.

"Maybe they were the last one leaving the place?" The old rat was full of ideas.

"It's off limits?"

"So? We're here? No one really guards this place since there's nothing to steal, Obi. I'm pretty sure some chick dropped it after making out with her boyfriend or something."

The older more skeptical man, shrugged and pocketed the gem. "Guess it wasn't that important to come back for."

"Eh, looks like those cheap gems they sale at the stands." Jiraiya then kicked open the sturdy wooden door to the tower, grinning proudly over the dead, peeved look his comrade was giving him.

The door moved inwards slowly despite the harsh impact, creaking and all.

Obito entered first, thankful for the sun being out or the place would have been completely dark. Every light source protruded from four different windows. All were positioned in such a way so those beams of ghostly yellow rays streamed down at each missing corner of the table. He walked around, stepping through each narrow path of light. He gazed around, feeling already all powerful. "Can you believe we're about to have everything we've ever wanted?"

Jiraiya shrugged, jolting a second when the door slammed behind him. He was always filled with the shivers by this place. "Sure, man..."

"Come on, Jiraiya! Have a little more enthusiasm. What? Do you still actually miss him? We might be able to bring him back. The stones hold the same powers that have shaped and destroyed the land on earth for years. We're going to be in control of creation itself! We can do anything! Name it and it's yours!" Obito threw his arms out in exaggeration, voice echoing up the cylinder.

"Pace yourself. We're not there yet." Jiraiya chuckled, barely smiling. He walked over with a duffel bag, dropping it to the floor before taking a seat on the altar. He began to think about what his comrade had said. "Thanks for the offer though, but I'm good. I prefer he rests in the hellfire he's in. That way I can join him."

Surprised by that, Obito sat down beside him, laying his cane on the table side to his right. "That's actually very, um...aware of you?"

"Hey, I'm not oblivious, Obito. I know he doesn't and didn't want me. I pretend because it's fun."

"There was no pretending, Jiraiya. He did want you. He just didn't know it." Obito crossed his arms, set in the same belief. "Take Ishida for instance, he always told me he was protecting his friends. I never bought it for a second."

There was one other person that was blissfully ignorant and led to be as such on their own terms and by others.

"He sure did say that a lot, didn't he?" Jiraiya knew what they were. He just didn't care to burst a bubble. His brothers did their thing and he did his. Their differences in how they handled a situation was what he loved and hated. Most of those things he loved to pick on them about. "You couldn't wait till he was a little older though?"

"You have morals all of a sudden?" Obito laughed, leaning on up and off the table with his cane. "How old was Nagato?"

"..."

"Exactly, so fuck off."

"He was older than Gaara!"

At the sound of his students real name, he twitched a bit. "Ishida, Jiraiya. That's his name."

"You know he's nothing like Ishida? Why'd you name him that?"

Obito smirked. "We were going for effect, remember? Linking them to the knights so they wouldn't be so scared when we tried to execute them…. Also….. there was a theory that Ishida was a very passionate knight no matter how much he claimed to care for no life. Whoever he did fancy, he belonged to them forever. The first king chose him for this supposedly."

"I don't remember reading anything like that to come to that conclusion, man." Jiraiya pondered to make sure, noting nothing of that from any book he'd read. "Some locals spin you that crap?"

"It's a fun theory like I said, for no one can truly be heartless unless it was given completely to someone else. Only that person then would see him at his knees, no one else."

"Hah, sounds like you really think it's possible, Obito."

"It gets me off at night I guess."

Jiraiya cringed and shook his head, not needing that image. "Thanks for the nightmare fuel."

"Thought it would make you laugh to be honest." Obito chortled, walking around the table to the concrete wall where no window was stationed. It was directly across from the door and equally so in front of something else.

"If you really want to make me happy, tell me why we are here? Didn't you say you wanted a view? Did you mean you wanted to waste time by looking at this unholy place? We're going to see it again later tonight." He followed the older comrade with his gaze. "Or did you only want to stare at the damn wall like you and imagine we're home?"

"Do you know what happened here, Jiraiya?"

"Please don't give me a history lesson right no-"

"Their dreams came true here!"

"Fuck…" Jiraiya grumbled and rolled his eyes, spinning around on the altar to face his brother and listen, for he had no choice. He propped a leg up and laid back to get ready for it.

"Their dreams also ended here. Well, technically not here, but this is where it started to begin and end."

"Yup..."

Obito carried on, ignoring his disinterested brother. "Their mistake was trust and value in their knights. We will not make that mistake."

"You mean our students who we named the knights for deceit purposes like setting ourselves up for failure?"

"There names mean nothing, Jiraiya! It's the person behind it that found the stones who hold value." He touched the wall with his cane, childishly excited and hopeful. "As each boy fails the test, we'll execute them anyway we see fit."

"One of them needs to pass! Keep that in mind, Obi! We are missing a boy too, remember? Neji found a stone. We ain't got no Neji anymore. I'm pretty sure he's gone."

"He wasn't the heir. I believe it's one of the other boys or…" Obito drawled off, smiling more in light of a new idea.

"Or what, you crazy bastard?"

"Maybe that's why their keeping him with them."

"Who? Sasuke? That's a possibility I guess." Jiraiya stretched, laying back on the table now. "Seems pretty stupid to keep him with them if he is."

"I'll agree to disagree." Obito stayed in between. It was something he was considering nonetheless. Back to the task at hand, he turned around to face Jiraiya, both hands on his cane pressing into a crack on the hard floor. "As I was saying though, execution. I do agree this will make a lovely view for such a thing."

Jiraiya lifted up a little, peering. "The wall?"

"No, the hole in the wall."

"There is no hole in the-OOHH! Huh, the cliff?"

Obito nodded, a hand out to the prized spot he wanted. "The cliff, my brother."

_\::/ So What Happened Was \::/_

Naruto had long since vacated the tent and spilled his brains out in explaining the nightmares and memories. He told them of their knightly counter parts as Shikamaru looked the most horrified. Kiba beamed at hearing he was pretty much all the way the same. The poor redhead couldn't help but laugh at how crazy the not so blond made him sound.

Sasuke, personally, didn't think it was too insane to sacrifice oneself for the things they loved. Everything else though, he didn't like. He really didn't like how his own counterpart was perfectly okay with the guy he loved, sleeping around. "What's wrong with him?!"

"He loves Menma, Sasuke. I think all of them do. They really want me to break this curse by letting you all go," Naruto sounded just as dejected as the statement itself.

Shikamaru raised his hand. "Correct me if I'm wrong but, what I gather is that the knights are completely nuts? The prince is borderline nuts? The stones are as useless as nuts? Then we have to go out in public and find the oracle in a sinking temple like we're nuts?"

Naruto nodded, chuckling. "Sounds nuts when you sum it up like that."

"Not all of it...kind of." Shika lowered his hand to the back of his head in stress. He and Gaara were actually sitting away from each on different logs for purposes that no one noticed yet. "I do find some parts interesting like where the stones were buried. It explains why we found them and you found that necklace."

"Where is the necklace?" Sasuke asked, frowning when his friend looked regretful.

"I took it off...I'm sorry! I- I think I dropped it in that world somehow." He couldn't say that to the raven's face, ashamed.

"So it's really not in the tent somewhere?"

"No…I'm sorry, bud"

"Don't sweat it." Sasuke shrugged. He was somewhat sad, but not angry or anything above that. The whole reason he had the necklace was to be closer to Naruto because he thought he was gone. It was the last thing he had that his friend touched with a smile. Would he switch out Naruto for that necklace? Hell no. "I'm sure I'll be fine."

Naruto perked up, smiling at the raven who returned it with a small blush.

An adorable sneeze from Kiba broke their loving stare from each other. He whined out in distress, "Ah! NOO! I messed it up!"

"Good job, Kiba." Gaara sighed, patting the crying pupper teen on the back.

"Guys!" Naruto's face embraced the warmth this time.

"Don't 'guys' us. You two have been like that from the moment I saw you idiots together. Now we know why," Shikamaru joined in on the teasing,"I'm sure Sasuke won't mind you sleeping around too as long you came back to him."

Sasuke gave Shikamaru such an affronted look that it made the man bite back a chuckle. What made them all laugh was what the raven said next. "Who? Where? When? And How? Because it's not me, not here, not now and in no shape form or fashion."

"Jesus, bud. Relax!"

"You all can laugh all you want but I'm serious. I don't want anyone that wants other people. More power to the ones that can love someone through it. I'm not it." Sasuke crossed his arms to mean it.

"Rawr!" Kiba pawed at the sassy teen playfully.

"Hush, Kiba." Sasuke shook his head, snickering nonetheless.

"I'm with you on that, Sasuke." Gaara crossed his legs, catching his partner's sights on him. "Something wrong?"

"Not at all.. I think you know by now that I don't look at anyone else."

"That's very apparent, Shika." Naruto mumbled, face stuck with a hint of fear in remembering. "You and Kiba are pretty much the same as you wee."

"Then that means Shino was there?" Kiba asked, excited, wearing that coat.

"He wasn't, and neither was Neji. Which is weird because I think Gaara was also the youngest of us." Naruto displayed confusion on his tan face, hunching over some to really think. "They told me that the curse was changing to much and moving to fast so. I think the ages are off whack as a result."

"Hmm, It could be a sign you need to fix it quick." Gaara shrugged, assuming he wouldn't really be any different.

"If things are really off, then maybe the ages are reversing? Neji could have been a kid then?" Sasuke offered up an idea that was considered.

"Not a kid, per say. He's likely younger because Neji is older by only a year... Menma did have a Lieutenant he favored and-"

"I remember you mentioning that, Shika! Do you know what his name was?" Naruto interrupted, seeing his comrade's smile turn upside down.

"I never said...- It doesn't matter. I'm sorry, but no one one knows who Menma's right hand man's name was. The kingdom's people burned and drove miles to bury everything about the knights and kings to avoid a repeat. What little information we know now, are slipped pieces put together by scholars and the long since passed descendants who sold that information illegally," Shikamaru said in irritation, wishing there was another way. Each path lead them back to the kingdom in the end whether for revenge or answers. "That oracle is our best bet."

"We're really putting the stones on hold then?" Gaara didn't mind whatsoever. The longer they didn't have to go to the compound, the happier he'd be.

"If everyone's okay with that. I mean, they're useless if this is true."

"I'm good!" Sasuke immediately raised his hand, holding up Naruto's for him. "And so is the boss!"

Naruto shook his head and grinned to himself. "Yeah man, sure."

"We. Get. To. Go. To. The. Fair. Together!" Kiba threw both hands up. "We're going to have so much fun!"

Shika hated to burst his bubble, but he had to. "We're going on a mission, Kiba. We can't afford to get caught. That place is to crowded for minimal disguises to work. I'm sorry."

The pupper teen's excitement subsided to a disappointed shrug. "Aww, okay."

"After this is all over, I'm sure we can go then!" Gaara had to be that one person. "We can make a thing out of it every Saturday! Just us five."

' _Five?'_ It hit Sasuke on the head then that he was included. "I can come?!"

"...Yes? Why wouldn't you? We've already established this." Shikamaru astonished the thrilled raven teen more. He was soon startled by that very excitement which almost sent him falling back off the log.

"THANK YOU!" Sasuke screamed gratefulness, not sure why he excluded himself in the first place.

Naruto winced, covering his ears for a second. "I thought that was my thing!"

"Sorry!" He was too exhilarated to have real friends now.

"Uhuh," Shikamaru mumbled, sitting back upright. He followed with straightening out his black jean jacket and saying, "So we've all got the plan? Oracle first to make sure Naruto's not crazy and we're not all in danger. Depending on how it goes, we either pass on our mission and go home, or we snatch the stones to be sure. Possibly, should the stones be pointless or not, we go on fair trips in the future on Saturdays once all is said and done?"

"You've got it." Naruto saluted, snickering at the raven beside him who did the same thing in excitement.

Gaara nodded, not seeing a downside. "I agree."

"I don't agree." Kiba pouted. "Why just Saturdays?"

_\::/ The Four Knig- Boys And The Princ- Other Boy \::/_

Everybody was piled back in the SUV and cruising on the road again.

Naruto sat in the back, training with Sasuke. He'd taken random stuff from his bag and set them on the seat in between them.

Gaara was the lucky driver this time, humming with Kiba in the passenger seat to a song on the radio called,  _Wanted Dead Or Alive by Bon Jovi_. It was a favorite of a certain smart ass on the second row sitting lengthwise on the seats while on his laptop.

Speaking of Shikamaru, he was singing random parts of the song under his breath while scanning through different sources on the legend with various windows open, " _S_ ometimes I sleep…..Sometimes you tell the day….. all you do is think!"

It distracted Sasuke very, very badly. He couldn't stop low key laughing at the man's quiet singing to himself. He knew it would annoy his teacher at the moment, but he had to ask. "Does he always do that?"

"Hm? Shika? You mean his awful screeching while he's working, but I'm not allowed to sing though I'm better? Yeah! Only when his type of music is playing simultaneously though. Now focus!" Naruto snapped his fingers at the nosy teen. "Tell me how to maim someone with this empty water bottle?"

"Uhhhh, I could trip them up with it?"

"...Boy, look. You grip it like this." He held the bottle around the center and squeezed it. The top denied passage of air so it didn't cave in. Pressure built. "It's sturdy now, so go for the eyes with the cap end. If you're lucky, it might pop off for extra damage."

Sasuke stared, unpleasant flashbacks happening. "Naruto, I really hope I never have to see you kill anymore people...especially with these quote on quote unconventional means."

"No promises." Naruto chuckled, putting a cork in it when he saw how horrified the student looked. "I was just kidding!"

"Does he not know, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked because of the sudden outburst and Sasuke's expression. He'd thought that the not so blond had told him what they did while at compound, and what their missions were when they were there.

"Of course he knows!"

"I know what?"

"He doesn't know... No wonder he's been hanging around this long."

"Shut up, Shika!" Naruto grumbled, avoiding eye contact with the raven.

Sasuke sighed. At least he was aware by now. "Is this secret major like the others you guys are probably hiding from me?"

"It might change your opinion of us."

"Shikamaru! Man, shut it!" He threw the water bottle, not dazed when the clever man caught it and threw it back. Prepared, he fetched it with one hand and readied to throw it back harder.

"Boss, tell me!" Sasuke confiscated the empty bottle to stop this childish behavior. "It can't honestly be that bad compared to what I've seen!"


	32. El Tiburón

It appeared as if Naruto was on his own since no one else said a word. The radio was turned off too, adding a quieter atmosphere aside from the engine running. ' _Thanks a lot guys!'_ He took a deep breath and tried his best to justify their actions. "Okay buddy, keep an open mind, will you?"

Where had Sasuke heard that before? He thought back to his conversation with Gaara and instantly decided he was unprepared.

"You remember when Shika said we did things we didn't want to do?"

"Mhm."

"Heh, are you curious about those things?"

"Kinda and then again not really." Sasuke shifted in his seat. On one side his curiosity was a bitch. On the other side, he'd had enough mentally scarring memories. He'd rather not pile on anymore.

"I need a solid answer, bud."

"You look like you don't even want to tell me, Naruto. How about this? I'll ask and you can nod yes or no instead." The raven came up with a more than reasonable solution, enabling his friend to exhale with utmost relief.

"I can do that!" Naruto readied himself in his head and waited.

"I'll get the obvious out of the way then... You guys clearly kill people and or have, right?" Sasuke received the nod he expected. He then moved on to the next question, "Did you hurt innocent people?"

"Define hurt?" Naruto laughed uneasily, seeing the raven wasn't amused in the least. He nodded slowly and shamefully.

"...Did you enjoy it?"

Naruto shook his head from left to right quickly, eyes cast down afterwards.

"Then did you ever-"

"Oh for fucks sake, I'll sum it for you." Shikamaru's patience was thin. He refused to go another minute listening to this drawled out interrogation. "Yes, we've hurt and or ruined the lives of both the innocent and the guilty. Yes, we've killed, stolen from, and or brutally handicapped either side. Those that we've damaged that are innocent, we tried to pay back. Those that weren't so innocent, we avoid every now and then unless we want something."

Naruto nodded through all of that, glancing at Sasuke who thankfully was use to the bluntness by now.

"Thanks, Shika." Sasuke caught on to the frustration and a hint of regret in the clever man's voice.

Like their past, none of them liked to talk about it.

Shikamaru shrugged and zeroed back in his web search and music, grumbling.

"Thanks too, man." Naruto uttered aloud, spotting the clever man roll his eyes. ' _Jerk.'_

"You don't feel like jumping ship?" Gaara asked from the front, steering.

"Not at all." Sasuke figured if he really wanted to then he wouldn't of been here in the first place.

"Does he really have a choice?" Kiba got philosophical for a moment, tapping away at a game on his phone. "If this is how everything is supposed to play out, he'd be here one way or another."

Everyone kind of considered it and brushed it off at the same time.

"When and if we find the oracle, then I'll fully believe in the curse. Till that point, I don't know." Shikamaru, like the rest, didn't want it to be true for many reasons. "Our lives have always been weird."

"I think we've got the better version by default," Naruto said, deep down knowing. "The knights were awful, and my other lives weren't chivalrous either."

"How are you handling getting hit with all that, boss?"

"To be honest, I feel like I've done it before so it's not to bad juggling it all." He shed a small smile at his worrisome buddy, letting him know he was okay.

"You remember anything helpful?"

"Not really, Shika. It's nearly the same thing over and over again in different forms that end the same way. I'm pretty sure there all specially trigger induced too." Naruto leaned back against the seat, agitated a little.

"Anything about us?" Sasuke was hoping for some good memories.

"Not of us now pass yesterday... There's plenty of us before though! We rode horses together, we fought together, everything." Naruto grinned while thinking about it. "I guess that's why I'm so set on believing you can fight."

Sasuke burned a light pink, driving him to gander out the window to hide it. He knew and understood that Hiei and Menma were lovers. Therefore, those moments made sense to him. He didn't think his friend would see him in such a way and he wouldn't press it. It was simply a very nice image to have and it sounded amazing until Shikamaru ruined the moment.

"You know you guys fucked each other?"

Naruto glared at the inappropriate smart ass. "Dude?!"

"It's true! Sasuke probably didn't make it that far. Here, I'll read it for you guys." Shika cleared his throat and proceeded with, " _The sun arose at a leaden pace over the castle gardens as if pulled by the finest string in the gentlest of ways. The serene rays graced sight to the shrubberies that were in full bloom thanks to the height of spring. The callous knight was only making his rounds when he first laid sight on the young, unhealthily beautiful royal merely strolling about the luscious flowers. The man in metal was impaled by the unforgiving arrow of love and desire without time to prepare. He approached the prince and stole a simple kiss to satisfy his need of taste. With uncontrolled vigor, he laid waste to the young man's clothes and took haste in his bo_ -"

"Nara!" Gaara cut him off, spotting the embarrassed two in the far back, cover their burning ears. "I think they get it! You can stop now!"

"Why? What's wrong?" Shikamaru looked back and laughed at their shocked to red faces. "Wow! You guys really are virgins!"

"It's not funny! You just read a rape scene!" Sasuke screamed, disturbed and afraid to look at his friend equally freaking out beside him.

"It's not rape, actually. Gaara interrupted me at a bad time. Prince Hiei was watching him too and longing. He also kind of initiates their second encounter during dinner. Want me to read it? "

"Please don't." Naruto begged, not able to cover his ears tight enough.

"You two are the ones that need to relax. This shit is extremely pg." He held up his laptop for emphasis. "If you want something that needs to be censored, I got you. There's a different version of this meeting where Hiei's secretly a freak and enjoys being tied up, gagged, and spa-"

"Are you into that?!" Gaara butted in again, hearing the reason behind his accusations by the way that came out his partner's mouth.

"10:08 p.m."

"...Why did I ask?!" The driver whispered out under his breath repeatedly, embarrassed and hitting his head on the steering wheel. He was reminded of what happened last night after he zipped up the tent at that time. "Why did I fucking ask?!"

Kiba laughed at them, keeping his opinions to himself for once. He was busy texting and preferred not to draw attention due to that fact.

"I don't understand why you guys are freaking out? Everybody's legal here!"

"I'm not legal, Shika!" Sasuke announced to the world.

"Damn! I'm sorry. How old are you?"

"Seventeen!"

Shikamaru peered at the raven like that didn't mean a damn thing. "You're literally about to be legal? You're not excused. What do you think your birthday present from Naruto's going to be?"

"Shika!" Naruto screamed this time, thinking he could possibly die of embarrassment.

"Don't worry, Naruto. I'll get you both some condoms."

"Gaara! Make him stop!" Naruto pleaded this time desperately.

Gaara was trying to clear his own head, cursing himself over and over for last night. He should of known it was going to be brought up again somehow. He tightened that scarf around his neck to hide all the little love bites that stayed above.

"I'm not saying anything that's not true, Naruto?! Do you not like Sasuke or something?"

"Of course I like Sasuke, Shika!" It was the most natural answer to ever come out of the not so blond's mouth. He knew by now though that things he was comfortable with, his friend was nowhere near ready, so this wasn't helping. Plus, there was this underlying fear of admitting he loved Sasuke. As if that would seal the end of the curse somehow. Whatever it was, it kept him away.

"Then there you have it."

"Wait, what?" Naruto's face lit up more, not liking the smirk on the clever bastards face. He hesitantly looked to his right to see Sasuke quickly look away, full on siren red. ' _Son of a...fuck.'_

"I'm sure he likes you too."

"Just shut the fuck up, Shika, please. You're killing me, man."

"You know what's funny about that?" Shikamaru had had his fun teasing them. Distracting them wasn't an issue.

Naruto grumbled out, "What?"

"It's your death day." He pulled out a twizzler from his pocket and went to chewing, smirking as it worked.

"Oh shit, really?" The not so blond laughed a little until a twinge in his chest snuck up on him.

Sasuke came down from his rising temperature slowly. Never will he be the same after hearing that confession, for now he could manage. "His death day?"

"How much have you truly read, Sasuke?"

"Only up to the kings and how many kids they had each."

"Damn your behind. I'll let you get caught up in a second. For now I want you to take my laptop and read what I have pulled up, aloud. This is the  _Four Kings Ruins Fair_  website." Shikamaru handed it over, feeling this important for the raven to know.

Sasuke placed it on his lap and began to read what was highlighted for him, " _Join in on the final celebration. It's the fifth day! As the story goes, on the fifth day, at night, the last and most despised knight was finally brought to justice. Come drink and dance and partake in mock sword play as the brave farmer, El Tiburón, who struck down the wretched knight, Menma! Reenactment will take place at 8:00 p.m. Refreshments and other entertainment will be ongoing throughout the day_. Oh my god...this is for real! That's the five day celebration Gaara was talking about? I see why he wanted to skip it."

"You've no idea how badly these guys were hated. Go back to the home page and read the saying for the event."

Sasuke did as Nara ordered, clicking the home icon with a tower above the words. The page loaded only a second before all kinds of pictures of the castle and the fair events started to pop up rather artistically framed all over. Smack in the center in an oval was that saying that Shikamaru was talking about. He read that aloud as well, " _Ishida now has no heart. Moriku now has no thought. Toriumi was starved. And Menma was slayed. Forever may they rot. Four Knights they were at once. Five nights it took to hunt. They each held a day. Death is what they paid. We hope they mold and decay. Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! The Four Knights are all dead as of today! …._ What is wrong with these people?! Shouldn't the kings be involved in this somehow?"

"The knights acted as their living swords with no mercy. Those are the men they saw the most, not the ones giving the orders. Don't get me wrong, they didn't like the kings anymore than them," Shikamaru explained, agreeing with Sasuke for the most part, "But remember when Naruto told us that the knights were killed once they had justification? They couldn't act against the knights without proper cause due to the other soldiers. They used the king's death to switch their loyalty to their favor."

"They seized their moment?"

"Without hesitation." Naruto answered this time, rubbing at his throat involuntarily. He started to live through a painful flashback of his demise by El Tiburón. Under his breath out of unconscious anger from the event, he said, "Next we meet, I'll have your head."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing, Sasuke!" He snapped back to reality, telling himself on the side that he won't give up that easily again to that damn farmer.

"You sure, boss? You look like you were in pain for second." Sasuke couldn't get close to his friend, for his heart skipped a beat when the not so blond winked at him.

"Trust me. I'm fine. I'll be ready next time."

"Ready for w-what?"

Naruto laughed uneasy like and shrugged. "Nothing, nothing, nothing."

"He's probably thinking about El Tiburón giving how he's touching his neck." Shikamaru chuckled at the snarl Naruto produced when the name was said. "In the fight, El Tiburón used an ax to swiftly rid him of his head."

"It was an enchanted ax!" Naruto shouted, scaring the raven next to him. "He couldn't fight me like a man! He received help from that witch after he stole the necklace from me!"

Sasuke wasn't the only one frightened by the raging and harsh breathing the tensed male displayed. "N-Naruto?"

"How on earth did you…?" Shikamaru began rethinking some things. "That's a theory, not a fac-"

"It's a fact! I was there!" Naruto yelled in rage, reliving that moment over and over again. "I bet they don't know he wanted vengeance because I killed his pathetic old man! They can play him up like the hero they want him to be, but he was nothing more than me!"

"Is that so?"

"Stick to your false books, Moriku! I know what happened! He cheated and he lied and he stole and they had the nerve to return it once I was already….." Naruto came to fully when he glanced and saw Sasuke scoot back away from him. He quickly took a minute to calm down. He covered his face with his hands and shook his head, mumbling out, "I-I'm sorry guys! But you don't understand... He cheated!"

Sasuke flinched again with the laptop at that last raged outburst. "Uhuh!"

"You know what, Naruto? If you know so much then what does El Tiburón mean?" Shikamaru really thought he could stump him and debunk the curse for a second.

"It means, The Shark. He was a fisherman before he moved to our lands for a new life. Supposedly his husband had a tie in with the kings so he was able to live here easily."

"Hm, why'd you kill his husband?"

"I executed him for failing his job to watch prince Hiei during his morning strolls. Because of his arrogance, the prince was kidnapped. The first king did not spare a second to dismiss him from the guillotine at my leisure."

Sasuke listened. All of that was sounding awfully familiar in some way.

"I read that Ishika tried to protect him but was attacked himself. "

"He failed." Naruto didn't like the way he said that so harshly. A part of him was still rotten deep down when it came to Hiei. He tried his best to distance himself from that. "I-I wouldn't have hurt him..."

"I know you wouldn't have, Naruto." Shikamaru half smiled, seeing that didn't help.

"Am I the only one weirded out by the fact that Naruto knows all this?" Gaara glanced up at the rear view mirror, finding out he wasn't alone.

"I think we should talk about something else." Sasuke scooted over towards his downcast friend, afraid to touch him. "What do you think, boss?"

"Please do..."

"I'll hold off from the questions then." Shikamaru decided to be nice and back off.

The driver then turned the radio back on, giving his answer.

"You guys mind if I take a nap?" Naruto felt like he'd died and rose again five times already.

"Not at all. I'm going out with you. Sasuke, don't google weird shit on my laptop." Shikamaru yawned, having nothing to do. He laid back on the seat and pulled the bandanna over his eyes that he'd put back on for no special reason at all.

"I won't!" Sasuke was only partially offended that he would even assume such a thing. He was hugged briefly by his best friend out of nowhere, causing a curt gasp.

"Sorry for freaking you out."

"It's alright… You go get some rest, boss."

"I am so going to do that." Naruto let go and went to laying against the window, flipping the hood of his jacket over his head, black spikes sticking out. He was happy to achieve some sleep, but not so happy for the reason why.

Sasuke watched him for a minute, smiling before turning back to focus on reading. He picked up where he left off. Finding out that Hiei was the only suspected boy born there as well as the last child. Each king had two daughters. The first king was the only one that supposedly had a son. An underlying text hinted that many of the kings were suspected of infidelity. ' _Unfaithful and pedophiles, great.'_ On he read where he came to find that the disgusting kings put their faith in an oracle of whom their past bloodlines had saved in a time when they weren't crazy. The Oracle prophesied this for the kings who wanted insight on almost everything they did from then on.

' _I see you will all raise daughters with the exception of one special boy. I see none of you as true fathers for he's the one you'll wish to destroy.'_

He started to see that she definitely knew something was up. The next passage then discussed how the kings wanted to know if they should actually make the stones. What the oracle said next, made him believe more that she foresaw everything.

' _These stones will not cure your forever delusional minds from unwarranted suspicion. These stones will instead set a likeness of you all on a path of potentially endless repetition.'_

After the stones were made with clear disregard, they actually asked for insight one last time. At this point is where she gave the warning from the legend itself.

' _Let no other four men hold all four stones. Let none hold them but you four royals alone. If so they shall achieve either power or despair. If it be by the life taken from your last true heir.'_

"She warned them so many times," Sasuke mumbled aloud, reading on about how the four kings and their wives discussed and decided to go through with it. The notion was spearheaded by the third king whose intentions were hidden under the illusion that it was too much power to pass up for one child.

Prince Hiei did not refuse. He willingly sacrificed himself for the better to end the kingdoms tyranny. The thing that none of them counted on was that it would be the third king's knight, Menma, to actually do so none intently. The Uchiha read it twice to make sure that he didn't skip something, for none of that towards the end made sense. "Hey Gaara, can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"If the prince was sacrificing himself to bring the kingdom down, why would that work?"

"That I'm not really sure about, Sasuke. There's some bits missing and or left up to interpretation. Everyone has their little guesses." Gaara shared his belief, "I like to think he knew that sacrificing himself would trigger Menma into a rage, but it didn't clear the knights reputation."

"Hmmm." Sasuke could see how that would work. "Maybe his death was supposed to rally the people...if they knew he died that way."

"There's no way Menma wouldn't have responded still."

"The curse is a good thing then?"

Gaara said with a lift of his shoulders, "Did he deserve it then? Yes. Does he now? It's debatable. I would say no, because I know Naruto personally. Those that knew him in another life on the other hand...not so much."

"I see." Sasuke frowned and glimpsed at his weary friend. In his heart, he would say no too. Whoever this Menma person was, they were Naruto now. And he was an amazing young person who had a loving future ahead of him.

Hints the 'was' and 'had'.

"I think not so blondy is done." Kiba snickered at his open mouthed, passed out comrade in the back. "I've never seen him sleep this much."

"Heh, Naruto rarely ever slept. He was always up and about for something do."

"Sounds like you guys had a lot of moments." Gaara smiled to the rear view mirror reflection.

"We did! I suppose this is no different," Sasuke said, spirits lifted some.

"I hope when all this is over, we can still go on adventures in this life and others," Kiba prayed aloud, more so to himself. He was gifted light head pats by the driver anyway, sending that imaginary tail back to wagging.

"That sounds lovely, Kiba."

"It sure does." Sasuke couldn't think of a better idea. He began to picture how his life would have been different if he grew up with all of them. Simple and insane, but so much fun. When the laptop nearly slipped off his lap because of his prolonged daydreaming, he had to snap out of. Never before had he been so happy that Shika was asleep.

"Watch it, Uchiha. You drop it, I break your hands. Then you'll have a reason to be clumsy."

Okay, he was only power napping.

Sasuke swallowed hard, holding onto the laptop for dear life. "That's a little drastic!"

"What's new?" Shika returned back to that light slumber, arms crossed.

_\::/ You have arrived at your destination! Yes! Yeesss! \::/_

They closed in on the fairgrounds around six or so, having had to make a few stops for lunch and bathroom breaks. Strategically, they chose not to park in the standard parking area. The kingdom was huge enough anyway. There was a grand, deteriorating wall that went on for miles all around. This wasn't a problem since the fair itself was closed off deep within the structure by a security fence. Lucky for them, only certain parts of the kingdom were apart of the fair. The other sections were merely tourists attractions or off limit sites.

The temple behind the castle though, was a tourist attraction meant to be looked at only.

They parked a long ways from the fairgrounds in the forest. There were trails they could take that would lead them to the kingdom anyway, for the kings rein stretched far out beyond the walls.

"Shika! Shika! Check this out!" Kiba stopped stretching with his phone and walked over to Shikamaru by the trunk. "There are cosplayers!"

Shika looked at the teen's cell, bright screen displaying pictures of people dressed up for the event. Some were knights, woman assassins, kings, queens, and even commoners or horses. "Kiba, I know what you're thinking, but we don't have costumes like that."

"Not yet."

"And where would we get them from?" Gaara chuckled, amused at how exited the pupper boy was.

"There's a shop at the fair!"

"It probably costs an arm and a leg." The redhead rolled his eyes like he was reading the price tag right then.

"Not to mention, we're only touring! We're not trying to go to the fair!" Shikamaru grumbled, searching through bags for more jackets since it was pretty chilly outside.

"But it'll make it easier!"

"I agree to that, Kibbles." Naruto stretched his arms above his head. "We've still got our spending allowance too."

"I would really like to explore more as well." Sasuke had found so much on the laptop that he wanted to see in real life.

Gaara shook his head, arms wrapped about himself, thinking them childish. A coat was then placed around his shoulders suddenly, making him curtly turn a faint typical color when he found out who did it.

"If you guys really want to do that, then who's going to offer up to go into the fair and back? It's a decent twenty minute walk there." Shikamaru's courtesy ended after he handed out a coat to the last person who didn't have one.

"Thank you, Shika!" Sasuke slipped on the beige jacket, feeling warmer already.

"No problem. So, who's going?" He waited, looking at the two who wanted to do costumes the most.

"I'll go." Naruto raised his hand, instantly being shot down.

"Can't risk someone getting suspicious with you, so no. Get your scars covered."

Blue eyes glared at the clever man. "Just because Kiba removed the triangles and wears a cap, he's better than me?"

"Yeah, because I'm going."

"Why'd you even ask then?!"

"Because I started to actually worry about you idiots." Shikamaru did experience some doubts about sending them that scared him enough to do it himself. It was conveyed through an apologetic smile. "I'm not going to lose any of you if I can help it, especially not for some damn costumes."

"Nara-"

"I'm going, Gaara. It's fine." He held out a hand for the money, not really looking the redheads way. "Come on. I'm not the only person chipping in here."


	33. Cosplay And Food

No one was going to succeed in talking Shikamaru out of it. He gathered up the money and then prepared to leave without another word. The moment he turned around, he was spun back by the shoulder. He smirked down at the redhead glaring up at him, expecting nothing short of a small speech to be careful and what not.

"You better come back."

"That is the plan." Shikamaru leaned in, only to be stopped on the lips by fingertips.

"I'm not worried about you. I'm concerned about my money. I worked really hard to get all that!" Gaara laughed at the adorable pissed off expression from the younger man by a year. "It's not so funny now is it? Come here," he said as he wrapped his arms around him, pulling Nara in with the intention of one kiss that's all.

It spontaneously lead to like five from Shikamaru that trailed off to the gingers neck, moving that scarf away a tad to show off other excess nips on peachy skin.

"Stop! Stop, stop it! Go away!" Gaara grabbed onto the choppy, messy hair, lightly, and tried to pry him off, blushing and enjoying the attention deep down.

"How come you're not shouting molestation right now, Kiba?" Naruto huffed and puffed at the pupper teen on ground beside him texting again.

"Huh? Oh, because Gaara is scarier than you."

"Ah…. true." He then looked to his raven buddy next to him who was actually covering his face. "Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"Why you hiding your face?"

"They deserve privacy!"

"So they deserve privacy but we don't?"

"W-What do we do that's private?" Sasuke skeptically peeked out of the corner of his hands to see a flustered pink tan teen

"Nothing like...y-yet. I don't know!" Naruto kicked a rock, hands fidgeting in his jacket pockets out of nervousness. "I was just saying!"

"Look what you started." Gaara mumbled against the taller man now hugging him tight.

"No time. To troublesome. Gotta go." Shikamaru let the cute, glaring oldest go with one more drawn out kiss on full lips. "I'll be back!"

"Mhm." He stood there as Shika left, fighting back worry and his urge to go with him. When said man was no longer in sight, he turned around to face everyone, surprised to find them all on the ground playing with a rock. "How long have you guys been down there?"

"Longer than you've been standing there watching him leave." Naruto grinned, laughing at how embarrassed the redhead got.

"I was making sure he had a safe start!"

"Uhuh."

"Whatever, Naruto. I know what I was doing." Gaara didn't let anyone else tell him otherwise. He did join them in their little mock circle. "What are you all doing anyway?"

"We're just passing around a rock and telling our innermost darkest secrets. Would you like to go first?"

"Naruto, I'm this close to hitting you with that rock."

"You might want to put that effort into covering up those love bites." Naruto snickered at how quick he went to fixing that scarf.

"Wow, Gaara. You can hold your voice back very well." Kiba complemented, not helping the situation. "I didn't hear anything last night."

"Nothing like that happened!" Gaara grumbled behind the scarf, flushed.

Sasuke hugged his knees to chest, watching them continue to tease the oldest. ' _They're so mean!'_ He didn't know if he could take it if they teased him and Naruto like that...That is if they ever did something like that. The thought was too much, so he hid his face.

"Then what did that to your neck? Mosquitoes?" Naruto teased, sitting indian style.

"Yes!"

"Why are you lying?" Kiba asked, truly confused. "It's late fall. The mosquitoes are hibernating."

"And how on earth do you know this, Kiba? You don't like insects like that."

"No reason," Kiba mumbled, passing the rock and avoiding eye contact.

"Sure." Gaara was not the only one to figure it out. For extra measures, he scooped up the teen's phone when they'd made the mistake of leaving it on the ground. "You have a text message!"

"Don't open that!" Kiba panicked, reaching for it. His efforts proved to be for not as he was held away by a palm.

"What's this? 'Could you send me a picture?' Kiba!"

"It's not like that, Gaara!"

"Ohoho, you send nudes, Kiba? That's not good if you're not getting any back."

"Fuck off not blondy! It's none of your business!"

"I'm sure you have more respect for your body than to- OH MY LORD, HERE! I'm so sorry!" Gaara had opened the text and immediately regretted it. He gave the phone back and didn't dare look the pupper teen in the face. "I-I...When did you even...He umm...He's...wow. You should text him back." He cleared his throat and shook off the images he saw and brought his jacket closer around him.

Kiba grumbled to himself, scooting back away from them some. He'd warned him so it wasn't his fault.

"Oh shit. Shino does send back?"

"SHUT YOUR TRAP, NARUTO!"

"Okay, jeez, Kibbles!" Naruto chortled before noticing the raven was quiet through all of it. "You okay there bud?"

"Mhm." Sasuke wasn't okay. He could hear everything and related to an 'if' situation with the not so blond teen. He held his legs together tighter as a result. "I think you guys should change the subject again."

_\::/ Want a Snack? \::/_

Putting a hole in the wall was fairly easy since the tower was so far off for anyone to hear such a thing. The two men had then long since made their trek back. They ignored the questionable looks they received when they came out of the woods onto the tourist trail.

"You want to pick up something to eat inside?" Jiraiya stretched out his arms over his head, bag-less because he tossed it over the cliff like a test run.

Obito yawned and shrugged. "I'm not really that hungry."

"I am." The perverse one frowned, patting his stomach.

"Typical... You go and I'll meet you back at the compound."

"You mean you're going to make me walk all the way back?!"

Obito shrugged, smirking, cane appearing to aid him in a dignified way. "You need the exercise."

"Oh really?"

"Really."

"Damn shame I got the keys then, huh?" Jiraiya snickered proudly, walking ahead, leaving his brother to fumble through their pockets.

"You piece of-!"

"Watch it! We're in public."

In order not to cause a scene more than they already were, Obito had no choice but to accept that advice. He cursed under his breath and didn't drop that high class look about himself as he was, in his mind, above everyone they passed.

A solid twenty six minutes passed before they actually made it back to the front of the fair's entrance.

There they then had to wait in line.

Since it was the 5th and so, last day, tons of people were there. Different lanes were opened to speed things along. There were fast lanes for those who had prepaid tickets, and slow lanes for those who were paying on arrival. Those lanes were then further split for those who wanted to participate in activities, and those who just wanted a tour of the castle itself. For people that wanted both, there was a lane for them as well.

Obito and Jiraiya had no prepaid tickets and so only wanted food which would be in the activities line. That line was no shorter than any of the others.

"Why, Jiraiya? Why do we have to wait in this long ass line for grease and fat?!"

"Um, excuse me. There are children present!" A mother whispered as a matter of fact to the man in front of her, tapping him on the shoulder.

Obito winced when she touched him, disgusted. He then said coldly, without looking back, voice empty of restraint, "Yet you bring your child to a fair that celebrates the beheading of knights and murder of a true royal family? Not to mention, I believe someone was fucked in a garden I'm sure your going to let your failed abortion frolic in!"

The woman wasn't the only one in shock, for the cruel man hadn't said it quietly.

"Ahaha, he's kidding! He's kidding!" Jiraiya turned around and then moved the no filter having jerk in front of him. That didn't make him any better."I'm pretty sure it was consensual!"

Obito grunted, gripping his cane and forcing it into the ground, fighting back his deep inner rage.

"Think you could calm down for a minute, man?!" Jiraiya whispered over his shoulder, urgently.

"I. Hate. The. Fair. You know that!"

"It's not that bad!"

"It's sickening!"

"Well, the foods goo-"

"More like diabetic-

"OKAY! I'll get you a gourmet caramel apple if you beha-"

"Nothing will make me…" Obito stopped his combative words to think about it, "I thought they discontinued those."

"Nope! They're back in full swing only on the fifth day. We can even pick up some funnel cakes for Orochimaru!" Jiraiya really wanted something to eat there no matter if he had to pay for it. Which was a big deal on his part.

"Hmm… I guess a snack won't hurt."

"A snack never hurt anyone!"

Obito relaxed with a roll of shoulders, convinced. He had a weakness to such things thanks to his runaway ginger. "Fine."

"Sweet!"

It wasn't sweet that it took them half an hour just to get to the admissions both.

"Good evening fine fellows! Welcome to the Four Kings Ruins Fair! What would prithree thy today on this most joyest of moons?"

"Two tickets for the activities. We're just here for food, really." Obito didn't find the way the booth girl spoke to them as funny as the perverted man behind him laughing up a storm.

"There is not a better place to dine, my friends! The toll is $35 total for one way admission tickets." The admissions girl enjoyed her job a little to much.

Obito waited, side stepping out of the way for Jiraiya to pay.

Jiraiya grumbled, having forgotten he was damned to do so. He stepped up and pulled out his wallet, fumbling around for cash.

Booth girl giggled, oblivious to who the men really were in front of her.

Meanwhile, Obito rolled an eye in annoyance. Where that orb landed was on a particularly interesting sight. There was a man thanking some other guy very loudly for paying for his family's way in. The young hero really didn't look like he wanted the attention and was trying to leave the fair with a bag of stuff of his own. The whole thing was interesting because the teen who did the kindness, looked awfully familiar. His hair though, was a choppy mess and that bandanna didn't help.

"Awww, he's so darn sweet!"

"You know you're a pretty girl? I'm sure if you asked him out, he'd say yes," Jiraiya said offhandedly, deciding to use a credit card that surely wasn't his. "I'm going to pay with this."

"That'll work just fine, good sir! And thank you!" She beamed, scanning the card, making sure the transaction went through before handing it back to him along with the tickets. "You gentlemen enjoy your feas-"

"Do you mind if I ask you a quick question, young miss?" Obito's curiosity drove him. "The boy you were just drooling over, what did he come in for?"

"I'm not allowed to discuss that information..."

"Is that so? Do you not think you'll get in trouble for locker talking about a man just because you're a woman?" He scared the girl on purpose, forcing her to trip on her words, enticing the guards. "Or were you merely being stupid?"

"Obito, you want to wait back in the car?" Jiraiya gritted out with unease, nudging as well to signal to him that he seriously needed to stop.

"Gladly." He then left under the disguise he was aggravated by the whole ordeal.

_\::/ What's your favorite? \::/_

"What's your favorite movie, Gaara?" Sasuke asked, it being his turn to question.

The boy's came up with a way to pass the time with a water bottle. Whoever the top end landed on, had to ask a person they chose a question. The question then had to be answered truthfully. It was interesting enough to keep them busy for half an hour and then some.

"I never really got around to movies until I escaped... Had a lot of trouble sleeping though so I did watch late night to early morning cartoons on Disney channel. They were light on my mind and not so loud an demanding direct attention. I think Winnie The Pooh was one of them...soft colors and overall calm." Gaara had a childish side when it came to bears. It was partially the reason he wore mascara around his eyes in the end. There was something about them that screamed security and softness.

"I should have guessed that." The raven snickered nonetheless, tickled. He then spun the bottle as per rules to keep the game going fast.

It landed on Kiba. "OH! Sasuke, what's your favorite color?"

"Hmm, I really like blue," Sasuke smiled at Naruto by accident, looking away quickly. It was to late.

"Awww, bud! I'm flattered!" Naruto put a hand over his chest to demonstrate such.

' _What is wrong with me?!'_ He went back to hugging his knees to chest and hiding his face behind them. Ever since his friend had said he liked him, he couldn't act right. He wasn't sure if they meant that as like or like-like. He was too afraid to ask.

"Don't hide, Sasuke. If it means anything, I love your eyes too." Naruto complemented, making his friend only hide away more.

"Sasuke, come on out of that shell. You two are destined to be like this." Gaara didn't help with the situation no matter how much he thought he was. He let out a yelp when a big bag of items was dropped in the center of their mock circle.

"And you guys are destined to fit into these costumes because I'm not going back! There's like over a thousand people there!" Shikamaru announced his presence, frustrated about a man whom started to thank him rather loudly after he'd helped out. His bad mood easily dissipated due to the big hug he got from a precious loved one. "Missed me that much?"

"No! I'm sad because I know you spent all my money!" Gaara teased again, getting the same treatment he got last time, attacks on his lips and neck.

Naruto ignored them and went to searching through the bags. Each outfit pack inside had a note on it to who it represented. The best thing was that all costumes were one size fits all with adjustable straps. There were four sets of knight armor and one set of a floral blue yukata that reminded him of a prince. He hesitantly handed the floral wear over to Sasuke whom looked it over with embarrassment.

"You want me to wear a dress?!"

"Check out the flyer in the bag," Shikamaru said over the gingers shoulder.

Sasuke pouted, picking up the flyer to see a likeness of himself in center with the knights around him in defensive poses. "Huh, he really does look like me."

"Figured it might help trick the oracle if she is real."

"Clever." Gaara blushed when he was kissed for the compliment. "Unhand me go so I can change!"

"We can change together and those three can do whatever."

"I will end you if you hurt him, Shikamaru! Keep that in mind! Now come on, Sasuke. Kibbles you can join us if you want." Naruto hopped on up with a bag, ignoring Kiba's mumbles of a curse. "You two watch your backs! You don't know who's all out here."

"Thanks for the not needed warning, Naruto." Shikamaru chuckled anyway, releasing the ginger so he could grab their bags.

_\::/ That Depends... \::/_

Shikamaru and Gaara did go change elsewhere, but not together, together. Each went to the opposite sides of a big tree to put it simply. The redhead wasn't going to allow fooling around while they had a mission going on. He especially didn't want to waste a moment like that in the woods anyway.

That's right.

They didn't go all the way in a tent. There was merely fooling around and such playfully that was ongoing in comfort for the oldest.

Gaara blushed from thinking about it anyway as he took off the scarf and then his jacket and shirt. Biting his bottom lip, he touched his nipped neck and smiled. No one had ever treated him kindly in such a situation before. It was nice to not feel like some play thing. The sudden snapping of a twig alerted him to survey his surroundings.

"How you doing over there?"

Gaara relaxed, assuming it was Shikamaru moving around because of the question he just asked. "I'm getting there. You?"

Funny thing is, Shikamaru had thought it was actually Gaara who was moving around. The way the redhead had responded worked here too. "I'm having trouble with the damn helmet. It comes with hair already attached. It's annoying the shit out of me."

"Did you already put the armor on?!"

"It's like a leotard, Gaara." Shikamaru laughed, smiling at hearing an 'oooohh' from the ginger. "The armor is plastic too, so it straps together easy."

"That's nice! I see you got all of us our counterpart knight outfits." Gaara flicked at the flimsy red hair coming from the helmet. "We're definitely cutting this crap off."

"Affirmative." Shikamaru knelt down, pulling out some scissors from the bag. "You want a pair now or later?" He held out the scissors around the tree.

Gaara slipped on the suit that had a modest chain-mail like pattern at the feet on up to knees and some on the hands. It's long sleeves and short, thin turtleneck like section, covered him up nicely. He began smiling at the hand poking out from the side of the tree. He really, really loved how Shika respected his space. Twas something he'd never had the pleasure of at one point in time…. He shook his head, suppressing unpleasant and painful memories. He then hurried over and grabbed onto the man's hand more so than the scissors and said, "Thank you."

"For what?" All Shikamaru heard was another butterfly feeling laugh before the cutting tools were taken from him. That wasn't enough for him to be satisfied with. "Want anymore scissors?"

"Haha, no, Shika." He lit up inside, finding himself showing extreme happiness he had no idea would be a major problem later. He sat the scissors down and began putting on the fake armor pieces first. He started with the plastic cuisses (thigh guards), strapping each gray piece one on, disappointed they didn't wrap around fully. The faulds and culet (basically help form the skirt) followed before the breastplate and shoulder guards to complete the set. Now all he had to do was clip away that hair from the helmet. Which turned out to be easier said than he thought.

Wearing the helmet was the uncomfortable part, so he took that off quick. Inside the bag, all that remained were his knights choice of weapons. Which were two foam short blades with black handles and a bear head pommel. He picked them both up and gave them a little spin, liking them a lot.

Another twig snapped nearby, but this time Naruto came bustling out from among the trees.

"Gaara! Gaara! Please tell me you guys got some scissors! This shit is annoying!" He shouted, stumbling into the open with the helmet, becoming dazed when he saw the redhead with those daggers again.

"Crap." Gaara immediately picked up on it and so dropped the fake weapons. "Is that better?"

Naruto shrugged, not moving another step. "Heh, sure... Uh, scissors?"

"Here." He picked them up and walked over, handing them cautiously to the timid teen.

"T-Thanks." Naruto then quickly departed without looking at the ginger again.

"Did he look as scared as he sounded?" Shikamaru asked when the not so blond left, pulling out another pair to cut off the hair to his own.

"Yes, absolutely terrified." Gaara walked back to his bag, saddened. He put away the blades, deciding them to be a bad idea.

"I'm sure it wasn't of this you." The clever man chuckled softly, putting on the uncomfortable helmet. He put the bow on afterwards, slipping in between the bow string and limbs and letting it cling around to his chest in a slant. Eventually, he took off the helmet not a second later because the cheap material made it heat up fast. "We will not make it long in these."

"Tell me about it."

"I'll tell you face to face. You done?" Shikamaru added a pretend knock on the tree. He hadn't experienced trauma in ways in which the redhead had. He dealt with mental abuse and so built a self loving wall for himself, for he wasn't desired like the others. He'd had flings with acquaintances often to cure his own heartache and desire for self worth. No one had ever truly wanted him though, nor cared for him or loved him unlike his friends.

"Yes, please come in." Gaara waited, unsure why he was nervous. It was a happy kind of nervous. When the younger man by a year finally did make an appearance, he was perplexed by the smile there. "Something wrong?"

"...This stuff is really cheap for what it cost, but you...you look great. I on the other hand feel like a walking plastic can!"

"Oh my." Gaara put both of his hands over his mouth to muffle a snort at how silly Shika moved around. "Please don't walk like that!"

"How am I supposed to walk?!"

"Properly!"

Shikamaru took a deep breath and straightened himself out. He proceeded to walk like a soldier, marching awkwardly and nearly tripping every now and then. When he arrived at his destination, he saluted the redhead. Onyx stared into emerald before both men burst out laughing against each other. "Why did I do that?!"

"I don't know! You can actually be stupid sometimes!"

"It's not my fault! You're the one who said, 'properly'!"

Gaara wrapped his arms around him. "I meant properly as in normally not whatever drawn out seizure that was!"

"Was I really walking that badly?!" Shika held the amused redhead, smiling down at him. "Keep laughing and see what happens. I bet Naruto and Kiba are just as worse off as me!"


	34. Magic! Magic!

_\::/ Dress Up \::/_

Sasuke was fortunate enough to be allowed to change by himself while Kiba and Naruto prepped somewhere else together. It took him awhile to get dressed because he wasn't sure how to put it on. At first he tried to wear it like a jacket and then he got a little closer by trying to wear it like a bathrobe. The obi that he considered a weird belt, was used to hold the yukata around him. He simply just tied it at the front and let the excess fall, assuming that was right. Upon looking at the flyer again, he found out that wasn't even close. He gave up then because he was definitely not going to wear the sandals (geta).

Thanks to the yukata being long enough since he was short, he was able to wear his tennis shoes without them being seen.

' _Perfect.'_ He put his hands on his hips and looked himself over, thinking he didn't look so bad. One thing he loved was the open sleeves that nearly covered his hands. What he didn't like was belt tie (obi).

"I'm pretty sure he's done, Kibbles!"

"What if he's not?! He'll never forgive you if you just walk on in!"

Sasuke listened to the oncoming voices, shaking his head. ' _Of course he would.'_ He chuckled anyway and waited with a hand on his hip. Then it hit him that he was in a dress, so nervousness wriggled its way to his stomach and nested thee.

"-and that's why I can!"

"That's not a real thing, Naruto!"

"Says you." Naruto chuckled and stepped into the clearing with a smile that faded when he saw the raven. For a minute he could only see prince Hiei, and the very next he saw Sasuke. Either one, he walked towards slowly.

Kiba came on in, breaking the not so blond out of his trance. "AWW! Sasuke, you look beautiful! But...that is not how you wear that obi." He hung his phone in the air that displayed an example.

Naruto blinked, clearing his head just barely with a nervous smile. "He's what?"

"I said he's wearing it wrong!"

"I know I am, Kiba." Sasuke looked back down at himself and shrugged. "It's good enough for me."

"I can fix it."

"You know how to tie an obi?" Kiba peered and watched the weird, covered whiskered teen go over to the raven and help him.

"Um…" Sasuke's face tinted a color as he held still, taking in a sharp breath when the belt was tightened around his waist a little more and to the back. "Was it really that bad?"

"You always did this wrong," Naruto spoke from a memory that hit him, tying it up into a kainokuchi knot, "and you always wanted a bow."

"I did?" Sasuke mumbled, embarrassed and concerned all at once for who his friend seeing. "... I definitely don't want one now."

"Good because I didn't do one." Naruto walked back around to face the teen, an arm behind and the other held out for him to take. "You do look amazing though."

"Naruto, are you...okay?" Sasuke placed his hand hesitantly in a tan one, not sure if his friend had slipped again or was being sincere. On both fronts, he was fighting back the warmth to his face. Seeing them in their fake knight armor was giving off a weird feeling in general.

"I've got it under control, bud," he partially lied right to their face. He had it maybe halfway under control. He pulled the the raven in some, tender emotions desperately wanting to express itself.

"If you want me to whack him, just say so Sasuke!" Kiba grinned, waving at his glaring comrade.

"Thanks, Kiba. I think he's good though." Sasuke smiled as his hand was held. There was a moment where he thought his friend was seriously going to kiss it.

Naruto refused that impulse as to not weird the raven out. He so just awkwardly held onto the hand and let it swing their, smiling un-surly.

"What are you two doing?" Kiba arched a brow at the queerness.

"Holding hands?"

"I don't mind," Sasuke mumbled, enjoying the harmless motion.

"There you have it, Kibbles. He's fine with this and so am I." Naruto grinned and snickered at how contently Sasuke watched their hands swing back and forth.

"If you say so not blondy." Kiba fiddled with his phone, stopping at the sound of approaching footsteps and crunching leaves. He looked back, excited to see Shikamaru and Gaara come out. "You guys look great!"

"Thank you, Kiba. You guys look pretty good yourselves," Gaara returned the compliment, holding a travel bag on his shoulder. He was really impressed with Sasuke's turn out.

"Am I the only one having trouble walking in this?" Shika asked, noticing everyone else looked to not have any issues, especially the two who were more into each other. "Nice appearance there, Sasuke."

"It's..alright," Sasuke mumbled with a bashful lift of his shoulders, "Naruto fixed this belt tie thing for me."

"It was nothing." Naruto never took his eyes off his buddy.

"Um guys, we gotta do something about Sasuke's hair." Gaara observed the flyer he had pulled out the travel bag and then the raven. "Not just to match the picture either."

"Precisely. Uchiha, what do you recommend? Or do you mind if we just cut your hair off?"

Both Sasuke, Naruto, and Kiba shouted, "NO!"

Shikamaru winced, unprepared for that. "Okay, okay! Then what do you all want to do?"

"Water!" Sasuke declared that was something he could live with for a while. "My hair flattens out when wet and stays that way for sometime even after dry!"

"Hm, here you go then." Gaara reached in the bag again and pulled out a water bottle, tossing it to the destined teen who caught it with one hand, luckily. "Naruto, you want to let his hand go so he can…?"

"Oh!" Naruto backed off with a half smile. "My bad."

Sasuke shook his head at the goofy boss. He then went to flattening out the back of his hair with small pools of water on his palm. "How's that?"

"Damn near perfect." Shikamaru gave him a low energy thumbs up.

Gaara nodded. "Judging by Naruto's stare and silence, I'm assuming he likes it too!"

Kiba had the best idea of all. He held up the camera to the raven. "Say, Fifth Day, Sasuke!"

Sasuke shrugged some and gave in with a small smirk. He popped a peace sign for extra measures and said cheerfully, "Fifth Day!", stuck in that pose for some time.

"Shit! It was on video! Never mind that's good too."

"Get it together, Kibbles." Naruto joked with him though he'd like to watch the video later.

"We should all take a short video!"

"Gaara, we don't have time fo-"

"Oh come on." Gaara pulled Shikamaru over to them and started positioning everyone. He was sure it wouldn't take that long. He felt they deserved a 'normal' people moment after all they'd been through. No mission on the mind.

Sasuke was put in front since he was the shortest. Kiba and Naruto stood on either side of him. Gaara and Shikamaru took place in the back being the tallest.

All bunched in.

Kiba then stretched what he could and held the cell up high at an angle, pressing the red circle. "Okay, 3, 2, 1-!"

"HAPPY FIFTH DAY!"

_\::/ Now….We walk! \::/_

" _HAPPY FIFTH DAY!"_ Gaara re-watched the video with Sasuke and Kiba as they all headed off down the trail that would lead them to the temple. All of them, but the yukata teen, had to wear the helmet. It wasn't pleasant as stated many times before, so the video was a nice distraction. "Shika, I saw that smile. Why'd you try to hide it?"

Shikamaru shrugged, leading the way beside Naruto . "The whole thing was bothersome."

"But you looked like you were having fun for once!"

"I'm always having fun."

"That's your fun face right now?" Naruto elbowed the clever man, picking at him.

"Watch it."

"You watch it!"

"They didn't get along often, did they?" Sasuke asked in a whisper, small smiling at the two up front having a battle of words before it got physical.

"Definitely not at first." Gaara couldn't pinpoint a moment directly from the beginning, but he remembered the ones long after. "It was something they picked up from our mentors, I believe."

"How so?"

"From what I found out over time, Kakashi is the black sheep out of the mentors."

Kiba helped along in explaining, "The other mentors picked on him a lot because he's always in his feelings. When Naruto got there, he was kind of the same. Shika thus picked on Naruto for that because-"

"The mentors picked on Kakashi for it." Sasuke frowned, not feeling sorry for the man at all, but more so for his friend.

"Don't worry, Sasuke. Shika would give his life for Naruto unlike the men who took us..." Gaara reassured him, showing him the video again. "Would he have pulled Naruto back in the shot if he didn't care?"

Sasuke took to heart the kind gesture on screen. "I don't doubt he cares. I only hate that you guys had to grow up with all that."

"Grow up with all what?" Shikamaru unfortunately had the not so blond in a headlock. He also ignored the girls giggling at them that passed by. The costumes really provided them easy cover from suspicion.

Naruto groaned, embarrassed. "You son of a-AGH! I will end you!"

"Shika let him go."

"As you wish, Gaara." He did as told and let Naruto go tumbling back on the ground.

"You did that on purpose!"

"Prove it."

Their little play fight feud didn't last long when the redhead intervened for the second time in a more physical approach. A nice peaceful walk then surfaced all around the castle walls to the back with no one stopping them so far. Night fell quickly and the people touring the lit up trail started to dwindle as the main event back at the fair was about to start.

This was good for them.

When arriving at the temple, they came to find it was an off limits site and so guarded because there were dangers being inside a sinking temple right by a lake.

That was not good for them.

Off some good feet away near the forest, they discussed what on earth they were going to do, quietly.

"We could knock them out?" Shikamaru did have a thing for that.

"Or we could just sneak in through a secret passage." Naruto stared at the temple, repetitive flashbacks flooding in, revealing the moment he found out the kings were no better than the people they had him kill. He, like he did then, ignored it. "It's underground."

"Wouldn't it be flooded then?" Kiba looked to the big lake, wondering what life was in there.

"So we definitely knock the guards out."

"Shika, why are you so dead set on that?" Gaara looked to him with slight amusement.

"It's the easiest thing."

"Oh really?"

"Um, guys." Sasuke tugged on the redheads arm urgently, pointing to his friend whom was walking off in a daze.

' _It's not flooded.'_ Naruto told himself over and over again, heading off the trail into the woods. He could see every single life in which they'd taken this path so many times no differently. A hand on his shoulder made him stop, but he didn't look back. "It's not flooded."

"Are you sure, Naruto?"

"I'm sure, Shika."

Shikamaru let him go again, trusting because the teen actually called him by his name. He then nodded for the others to follow. The best thing about going into the woods was being able to toss those helmets.

To Sasuke, this was the third most scariest thing he'd witnessed from Naruto. His best friend lead them through the woods in a possessed like silence. To overcome this anxiety storm, he went up to him and held a tan hand nervously, seeing that got the not so blond to smile.

"Are you afraid? I'm only taking us to a safe passage."

"I'm not afraid! I'm worried about you!" Sasuke became flushed when his hand was finally kissed.

"Thank you." Naruto grinned, deepening that shade on a pale face.

Sasuke nodded, internally relieved that none of the guys in the back were teasing them. He didn't know that they were on alert since they were being led off the path.

It wasn't to far into the forest, but it was far enough for them to come upon a large mountain side.

"It smells awful over here, Naruto," Kiba complained, wrinkling his nose, looking around for the source.

"That's for a reason, Kibbles." Naruto casually put his free palm smack on the chilly stone surface and uttered something that was odd to them all, "Not north, nor south, or west, or east. Grant me passage to the liars keep."

Just like that, bright, vivid ember hieroglyphics sprouted out with a cracking sound in a circle around his hand. He felt Sasuke try to pull away, startled. He gave the frightened an assuring squeeze that everything was okay.

The others behind him, stood baffled as a chunk of the stone, in the shape of a door, shifted back and then to side to reveal a passageway.

"The fuck?!" If the clever one didn't start to believe a hundred percent before, he had his faith some now.

Gaara's mouth dropped along with Kiba.

"How the hell did you- What is- Why is-?!" Shikamaru was full of questions. "The hell is this?!"

"It's a secret passageway that a witch made for me... forcefully…" Naruto didn't sound so proud. "When I found out that the kings dwelt in the same magic they sent us out to destroy, I had to know everything they did."

"So magic is real?!"

Gaara stared at the wall, nodding to Shika's analysis. "I saw some red shape... word things just now come out of nowhere so I'm assuming that it is…"

"I didn't get to take a picture!" Kiba gripped his hair out of frustration.

"Naruto, are you sure about this?" Sasuke looked down the dark tunnel, holding onto his friend's hand tighter.

"Trust me." Naruto pulled the raven closer to him before touching the inner wall and saying, "Only at night will you ever hear my voice say, burn bright and light the way."

SWOOSH! A torch blazed alive in the tunnel. SWOOSh! Another one ignited. SWOOsh! Again. SWOosh! SWoosh! Swoosh! swoosh…. on and on it went, the sound dissipating into the tunnel.

"You guys ready?" Naruto looked back to see his friends just as stunned as the raven clinging onto him. "Guys!"

"Yeah! Y-Yeah, we're...we're coming." Shikamaru unconsciously grabbed a hold of Gaara's hand and pulled the stunned man along.

"This is creepy." Kiba latched onto the redheads arm, hugging.

"It's only a door, guys." Naruto guided them down memory lane though no one else but him could see such. It was painful. It was painful then.

All that mattered was now. He had to bring them to the oracle and find a way to fix this once and for all before he had to do this all over again. He was happy all of them were so busy looking around, giving him time to think about just how to do that in case the oracle didn't work out. He wished he could remember the talk they had with her in each life. Odds are it was probably not the same talk each time. He could remember how to get to the oracle by himself. He also knew how to make her appear, but that was it. As soon as she showed, his memory went blank. Sighing out of frustration, he unintentionally called for attention.

"Boss? You alright?"

"I'm good, Sasuke."

Sasuke shook his head. "You keep saying that like you're trying to convince yourself."

Naruto shrugged, gesturing to the tunnel. "I'm in between. One minute I know something. The next I don't...Then I wish I hadn't…. What I'm saying is, I don't know how this is going to turn out."

"I think it's funny we're back underground again," Kiba said with a grin, taking pictures.

"With water nearby," Gaara added as he held onto Shikamaru's arm.

"Think that means something?" Shika kept looking around at the torches and the weird cuts on the wall. "Like maybe we shouldn't be here..."

"Ignore that, Shika. I had anger issues." Naruto glanced back to the bothered clever man.

"Uhuh, glad you're totally not like that anymore," Shikamaru mumbled sarcastically.

"Hey, how close are we to this secret place, Naruto?" Gaara wished to leave the echo tunnel at once.

"Not far at all."

It took them just a tad longer. Once they arrived at the end of the passage, they found a ladder that had seen better years, but was still of use.

"Be careful, this place is old," Naruto warned as he helped Sasuke go up first, "When you reach the top you'll climb into a room with one wooden wall. Wait there for us."

Sasuke nodded, taking a deep breath before going on up. "Okay, boss."

It was a long way to the top for the Uchiha. He wanted to shout back and ask how far was it. Instead of whining, he kept going because darkness swallowed him real quick. It got to a point where he could barely see his hands. He refrained from panicking in case he was holding up the line. Hell, he couldn't check to see if he was anyway because the area was now very narrow. He relied on hearing their voices. They sounded further away so he was sure he wasn't the only one having a moment of doubt.

As luck would have it, he did reach the top soon and unexpectedly. He felt around the rough, cool to the touch edge to make sure this was it. He then heaved himself up and over into more light-less surroundings. The only gift of brightness came from floor level and it was barely seeping through wherever it was coming out off.

Sasuke crawled around blindly on the floor, reaching for a wall to prop up against. He did find one eventually and used it to stand. He took a few breaths and waited for the others, hearing them only.

"I can't see a damn thing!"

' _Gaara?'_  Sasuke laughed to himself at how annoyed the redhead sounded.

Gaara heard the chortle and sighed in relief. "Sasuke, please tell me this is the top?"

"Yup!" He nodded, though he couldn't be seen. He could hear the oldest lift himself up, everyone else following not far behind.

"We made it!" Kiba shouted, feeling around in the darkness for a grip before pushing himself on over. He unfortunately chose to lay there on his back to catch his breath from excitement. His arm was then grabbed, calling forth a shrill scream.

"Jesus, Kiba! It's me!" Shikamaru released the teen that nearly gave him a heart attack too. He climbed on out of the thin space quickly to recover.

"Don't grab me like that!"

"I can't see shit so that's not my fault! Why are you even laying right there?!"

"Sshh!" Gaara ushered them to silence. "We don't know if anyone's guarding inside."

"I doubt that. This place creeps people out." Naruto, being the last, came up with ease. "We should be quiet though in case they hear us from outside." He then dusted himself off and went to the side where the light was barely coming in from. He pushed against the wooden wall that opened like a door into a study with large stained windows glowing from moonlight. He waited till everyone filed inside the room before he went in fully himself and closed the secret exit.

"Of course it was a bookcase." Gaara, tickled, approached the shelves of books and picked one. "Alchemy?"

"Witchcraft… The kings taught us that that stuff was pagan and we should rid the world of it for our father. They really just wanted it for themselves," Naruto informed with spite, bypassing the shelf to the real door to the room, "Her sanctum is this way to the far back."

"If you knew that about the kings, then why didn't you tell anyone?" Shikamaru questioned, looking around the ancient room that was full of books, scrolls, couches, and a littered desk. "Was it out of sick enjoyment?"

"No? It was because it didn't hurt my way of living." Naruto laughed a tad, embarrassed. "You guys are aware I don't feel that way anymore right?"

"That's a given." The clever guy wasn't the only one that understood.

"You're a good person!" Sasuke reinforced, smiling and re-clasping their hands together.

"You all want my opinion? This place smells!" Kiba became more and more nauseated. It was okay at first, but this was to much. He pinched his nose, begging them to hurry it up. "Can we go, please."

"I don't smell anything…. You're probably picking up on the enchantments..." Naruto pondered his last meeting with the knights.

"I'll agree because I smell nothing but old pages," Gaara chipped in, having put the book back.

"Then it's my curse!" Kiba kept his nose pinched anyway, pouting. He had no choice but to deal with it. Leaving the room into a long hallway didn't make it any better. The closer they got to the oracle's sanctum, the more he could actually taste it. He grumbled to himself each turn they made and every decorated hall they transverse, shaking his head in agitation. By the time they reached her chambers, he was on his knees ready to puke. "I-I CAN'T!"

Gaara went to his aid immediately, taking a knee beside the heaving teen. "Kiba?! What on earth?! Is it hurting you?!"

"It sure doesn't look comfortable." Shikamaru knelt too, a hand to his crying comrade on the floor who was holding their stomach.

"She's in here. That's likely why he's freaking out." Naruto gestured to the door in front, anticipation rising, and worry. "Perhaps you should take Kiba back to the study."

That was the best bet they had right now.

Gaara nodded, willing to try anything to help the sweet boy. "Okay. I'll be right back then. Don't go in without me."

Sasuke bit his lip out of distress for Kiba who was whimpering by now as he was carried away. "I hope he'll be alright."

"He should be good... I wonder though, if she's doing that to him, what will she do to us?" Shikamaru stared at the door, thinking caution signs should be all over it.

"We'll be fine!" Naruto stressed to them despite being scared himself.

There was a long wait in silence after that before Gaara came back. He had the sickly teen's cell in hand. "Kiba wanted a video...I figured it wouldn't be a problem."

No one disagreed with that.


	35. Oracle

Without further ado, Naruto opened the wooden doors, ready to see the truth. The hinges screeched in strain as the room became visible. The once treasured, sacred, and beautiful chamber, was now in shambles, crumbling and half shifted into dark water. The Oracle's basin alter was cracked and her elegant statue was adorned with vines instead of pure gold and silver gems. The arched, stained glass windows was now broken. The lake took advantage and filled in from the cracks.

As it would turn out, the boys couldn't go far into the sanctum without being waist deep seconds later. The peculiar thing was that her side of the chamber was the only section falling slowly into the abyss, leaving all else behind.

"Well this sucks." Shikamaru didn't really think so. He merely wanted to leave and was looking for any excuse. The place did give off weird vibes.

"No, no, this is still good." Naruto smiled, pulling Sasuke closer to the edge, scaring the teen.

"What are you doing?!"

"Relax, we're not stepping into the lake. I just want you to be front and center." He assured with another kiss to a nervous, pale hand. He led the raven to come up more and stand where he was on a diamond tile. "This spot, okay? Don't move."

Sasuke did as instructed, wanting to bolt when his hand was let go and his friend went to stand back with the others. "Naruto?!"

"It's going to be alright! Hold on second." Naruto took a knee respectfully in between the other two dressed as knights. "Down."

They obeyed skeptically.

"Remember, don't look at her. She's only meant for noble blood." He demonstrated by keeping his sights in that direction. He couldn't tell them what they would see, for that would only scare them... and worse, get them killed.

"Thanks for the tip," Shikamaru said sarcastically, eyes averted as requested anyway.

Gaara snickered, shaking his head hung low. He turned the camera on and propped it up near his foot. This was all just ridiculous to him.

Naruto didn't find it funny in any light. "Please don't talk when she arrives! She won't answer you and it'll piss her off. I'll let you guys know when it's over and she's gone. You ready, Sasuke?"

Sasuke swallowed hard, looking around the desolate, dimly moonlit place ahead of him over the foreboding water. "I-I guess!"

"You'll do great! Remember to ask her about the heir, the curse, and the stones! After that it's free game. Now repeat after me; 'I, of noble blood, have come seeking guidance.'"

He did his best, " _I, of noble blood, have come seeking guidance._ "

"I, of the same blood, that hath freed you from silence."

" _I-I, of the same blood, that hath freed you from silence._ " Sasuke swallowed again, sure he'd messed up. His friend didn't say anything about the stumble so he guessed it wasn't a problem.

"I call upon the lady of the lake."

" _I call upon the lady of the lake,_ " Sasuke felt something pull his senses upon saying that. It was almost like a light headed feeling that you get from spinning to fast. Looking into the lake, he saw a ripple that mesmerized him to submission.

"I call upon she who sees all when asleep and awake."

" _I call upon she who sees all when asleep and awake._ "

Naruto glanced up and quickly looked backed down because the raven had sounded awfully out of it when he said that. He knew then it was working, so he continued with, "I call upon the divine."

" _I call upon the divine._ "

"I call upon the deity."

" _I call upon the deity._ "

"I summon you,-"

Sasuke beat him to it, " _I summon you, Mizuki._ "

That oddity set the two oldest in the room on alert.

Gaara especially. He had to look up to simply check on Sasuke. The poor teen was just standing there, staring blankly into the lake that rippled and rippled. Worried that entranced teen would fall in, he started to move, but froze when something began rising out of the murky depths quietly like it was emerging from thin air.

It was wet, dripping, dark purple, and stringy like hair at first. Then came a pale forehead...then equally pale, dead, eyes that started to roll back- It scared the farthest reaches of his mind and demanded a gasp from him. Fortunately, Naruto covered his mouth in time and held his head down.

Naruto directed his eyes to the floor, avoiding visual contact at the redhead, hoping that would signal to him that he needed to do so at all cost.

It worked.

Gaara nodded, signaling he was okay. When he was let go, he decided to focus on the phone, glad he didn't knock it over. The angled it was in cost him visual to the screen. For that, he was grateful somewhat.

' _This is bullshit. This is bullshit. This is bullshit!'_ Shikamaru screamed inside, wanting to peek just once. He heard and sort of looked when Gaara nearly made a noise. Judging by how quick Naruto had moved to stop him, he assumed it was best if he followed the rules. He took in a deep breath and did the best he could.

Sasuke didn't see her true form. What he saw was an older version of the plum girl, Hinata. She was beautiful, alive, and vibrant. Her bright, long, purple hair drifted about in the open space freely like it had a mind of its own. Her eyes had a glow to them like her skin. And her body, perfectly sculpted and obscured by white mist. She didn't scare him, only somehow managed to induce a calm state instead.

" _Noble blood hath called me, but a true soul to such, you could not be."_ Her voice was loud, commanding, and ever judging.

Sasuke woke up from his daze, having been stuck on her resemblance. At first, he wasn't sure what to say. He did know he was on his own and they were depending on him. He took the woman's beauty and sense of kindness as a welcoming mat to be honest. In awe of what he was seeing, he stuttered, "I-I am not really prince Hiei. I am a likeness of him though!"

Mizuki tilted her head to the side slowly as if peeved. " _Is that not what I stated? It was not up to be debated."_

' _Oh crap...she did say that didn't she?'_ Sasuke paled deeper, fearing her speech pattern was going trip him up again. "I'm sorry!"

" _Noble blood, do not pardon yourself. Simply ask your query and nothing else."_ Her heavy eyes stayed on him, dutifully taking notice of the extra bodies with their heads wisely down.

This whole situation made him a tad frantic like a fainting goat because she really didn't show any emotion of sorts at the moment to let him know where his limits were. He so stumbled once more and asked, "H-How do we tell who's the l-last heir?"

" _Under a night sky on the sacrificial altar should the true heir lay, a blue moon will shine and mark the last heir's day."_

Sasuke clutched at his chest with both hands, feeling a twinge of pain. He mistook it for fear. "Am I really not the last heir?"

Mizuki then let out a dry laugh that was more unsettling to the knights than to the one she spoke to. " _Noble blood you are, but bare the true heir's soul, you do not. Suffer in his place you will, for a knight's curse that he alone brought."_

' _I didn't ask all that…'_  Sasuke kept it to himself. At least he got an answer though it was also of his demise. He didn't care. He heard her mention his friend and that became a top desire. "Is there a way to break Naruto's curse?"

Naruto closed his eyes, smiling and shaking his head at how selfless Sasuke was. ' _He's killing two birds with one stone and he doesn't even know it.'_

She grinned in aged amusement. " _Menma, the demon with many names. He need only face one to save all that remains."_

"But how?!" Sasuke begged, needing bluntness.

" _Doing nothing often leads to the best something."_

' _Did this thing quote…'_ Gaara wanted to look up so bad and glare at her, but he didn't. She was scary as fuck and not worth dying by shock or worse.

"Nothing? Then what's the point of the stones?!"

' _That's not a bad question.'_ Shikamaru gave the raven mental points for that.

" _Many believe the stones are the power to creation. In reality, they are truly the elements of destruction. They were cut from the altar stone by my kings who each gave their soul and sealed. Therefore the stones could only be used by others, should the last, true noble soul be killed."_ Mizuki gave him more than he asked for because of the loaded question. " _The one true soul thus accursed among you, is only half the reason the stones will never work because of the life he misused."_

"Never?" Sasuke looked up at her, cautious and relieved somewhat.

" _It was never destined to, merely noble blood bound. The knight, like the kings, has refused to heed my warning despite the many times knelt on this ground."_ Mizuki's words were laced with a pinch of dolefulness suddenly.

The teen found her face displaying nothing. Curious, he asked, "You look familiar to a girl we used to know here. Is she, you?"

" _The girl you speak of is no longer present. I rise here before you, and yet you act ignorant."_

Sasuke became flustered and apologized with a bow. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Mizuki repeated herself like a record, " _Noble blood, do not pardon yourself. Simply ask your query and nothing else."_

' _What do I ask now?'_  Sasuke panicked for a second. He wasn't sure how that would turn out, so he thought it best to check for permission first, "Do you mind if I speak to my friends about something right quick?"

" _Only noble blood should share words in my presence. Should I hear them speak, I will feast on their essence and erase them from existence."_ Mizuki smiled at a drawled out pace, revealing a black hole with shiny sharp, jagged teeth that circled around.

That wasn't so beautiful.

Sasuke avoided the horrifying sight to gander elsewhere. He was sure that the others would agree that it was a bad idea. The oracle sounded way to eager then too. Sighing, he came up with another question. "Then tell me if Naruto is really the only one that can break his curse?"

" _The knight brought this curse upon himself. He therefore must end it alone, no one else."_

"What if he really does kill to protect someone and not for himself?!"

" _In the right life, his story of pain would end.-"_

"Awesome!"

" _-And all what could, shall be the life cycle that transcends."_

"Even better!" Sasuke was thrilled. Damn shame it didn't last long. His hope was shot down when he saw the oracle smirk with the unsettling amount of teeth again. "Why are you making that face?"

" _My noble blood, you have the same reaction every time. You always believe the knight will change, and will commit no crime."_

He mistook her for calling him gullible. "He won't, plus if he does, it's to save others!"

Mizuki laughed again from her throat, shaking the temple. " _The demon couldn't save you then. He will not save you today. This is a curse to understand there is no way. He will not only lose you, but his friends as well. That is the test, to despair and fail."_

Sasuke gawked at her like she must suffer from short term memory loss. "But, if he kills to save others, why doesn't it matter all of a sudden?"

" _My naive, noble blood, you are not listening. You've mistaken my answer to your query as if this life was my meaning. You all will die one way or another. It is up to the knight to decide how he will suffer. Vengeance is never the answer. All it brings is a massacre. "_

Naruto knew that Sasuke understood her by how silent he was. ' _Don't fucking listen to her! I can save everyone!'_ he cried out mentally.

"Then ... we all really have to die, and he must do nothing? His curse will end by our deaths?"

" _It will break at last breath and all that's left will be to face the crimes he knows he should. Death is a necessary freedom in order have what one always could."_ Mizuki's unblinking gaze shifted to the knight behind the noble blood, knowing he could feel her.

"I have two more questions." Sasuke brought her attention back, serious. "You see the future, correct?"

" _I see what will come to be and what has come to past. All you have to do, noble blood, is ask. For I am bound by law to wait until questioned. It is a nuisance, but it is what the gods intended."_

' _Hmm, okay.'_ Sasuke moved on, unknowingly asking his last question, "Do we break the curse in this life?"

" _I see you all will fail at achieving what you want above all else. I see you all will succeed in what you never knew had weight itself."_

"Can you be blunt, please? Yes or no! That's all I want."

" _Two questions was the limit you hath set. Should you call upon me again, it must be after the next sunset. Till then, farewell noble blood of a different soul and time. I wish you luck in this life, for I am weary of saying the same lines."_ Mizuki slowly began to float back into the lake, eyes closing and arms crossing over her chest.

Sasuke called out to her anyway, "Wait! Please just tell us!"

Nothing but silence followed as she was swallowed back below. The mist dispersed itself around the sanctum all the way back to the knights kneeling. That, they were free to look at. An icy chill came over them before the mist retreated into the lake in a swift second. Then all that was heard was a gush of wind and a bell chime.

When the ringing stopped, Naruto knew it was safe. He sighed like he'd held his breath forever. "It's over!"

"Thank god!" Gaara eased up off the ground with the cell and stretched. "That was way too intense!"

"Did she look as fucking terrifying as she sounded?" Shikamaru jumped up and rolled his shoulders to ease the tension.

Sasuke didn't quite understand what they meant. "She wasn't scary! Well, not till she smiled…."

"Are you crazy? Here, come look it this." Gaara flipped the cell to see that time had run out through half of it. Something recorded at least. He clicked the video, thinking it would show the nightmare he'd only had a glimpse at. In the video, sadly, it looked as if Sasuke was talking to nothing the whole time. There was no mist, no lady, no other voice. "You've got to be fucking kidding me?!" He grunted, outraged, skipping through the video that was void of all evidence. "Why doesn't she show up?!"

"There's really nothing there?" Sasuke came over, seeing it to be true. "Was I...Was I really standing there the whole time talking to myself?!"

"No! We all heard her. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that it's a cell phone and not a living thing," Naruto took a guess, looking at the video as well.

"That is the least of our problems," Shikamaru stressed to them with apprehension, "Naruto's creepy nightmares are real! The scary ass lady basically repeated the same damn thing!"

Naruto shrugged it off and said, "She's wrong! I can save you guys and break this curse! What we need to do is find the stones and-"

"Why, Naruto? They don't even fucking work!"

"Do you think our mentors will believe us if we tell them that?!" Naruto shot back at his clever comrade, anger showing itself proudly like a badge on both males. "They won't stop hunting us until the stones work!"

"Isn't that not the point though?!" Shikamaru didn't like it, but it was the truth. "What we have to do is di-"

"NO!" Naruto yelled in denial, gripping his hair and startling them all. "No one is dying again!"

"But boss, it might...she said it could-"

"I don't care what she said!" He cut his eyes at the raven. There was centuries of pain, regret and loss stacking up in him. "Death is not some blissful freedom. It hurts, it burns, and it leaves everlasting scars. I've killed hundreds of people! I know what death is! I've seen what it can do to a person in their finals hours and those forced to watch. I can't go through that again and I won't!"

"Naruto…" Gaara approached the unsteady not so blond with a calm voice, putting the cell away in the travel bag to deal with later. He was starting to see what the oracle meant. "We've all lost someone we loved. The best part about that is that they're free now. They are no longer suffering."

"We're not suffering though! We were just happy! We took a video and we've dressed up. We've had dinners together, laughed together, fought together! We...We are fine!"

"We're suppressing, Naruto. That's not the same thing no matter how much we try to convince ourselves that." Shikamaru aimed to help control this sudden outburst to no avail. "We act normal to hide what wasn't. We've been acknowledging our past under claims that it doesn't bother us!"

Naruto backed away from them towards the door, disturbed, feeling like he'd heard all this before. "So you all want to lay there and die?! After all they've done to us?!"

"Naruto, no one wants to die," Shikamaru unintentionally pushed his friend overboard by saying something he didn't want to hear again no matter how sincere it was, "but sometimes people die to save others. In their sacrifice, there is life and solace...forgiveness."

Naruto fell under the illusion he was drowning by those weighted words. He avoided their gaze to signal he clearly refused to accept that. He needed some air desperately. He stepped back one more time before running off through the open doors, afraid for what his friends will say next.

"Naruto!" Sasuke moved to peruse, but Gaara stopped him.

"I'll go retrieve him this time! You and Shikamaru should go grab Kiba!" The redhead could see that he needed to be a little more convincing judging by the way the raven jerked in his grip. "I promise I will bring him back! Honestly, who's faster Sasuke?"

Sasuke's hyperventilating eased down a bit, for they were right. He would never be able to catch him. The waterworks kicked in and he hid it by looking away through the door his friend had disappeared through. "Hn…"

"Tell him I'm sorry when you reach him." Shikamaru felt awful for upsetting the not so blond like that, taking more fault on himself than just that. "I really didn't mean to-"

"I'm not the one you need to be apologizing too." Gaara caressed Nara's face lovingly to reassure him as well. "I'll bring him back to the car so you can tell him yourself. You keep them safe."

Shikamaru really wanted to kiss the ginger for comfort and tell him something important, but he sided against it, assuming it was inappropriate. Instead, he nodded with an audible sniffle like the dust was getting to him. He beat himself up for coping out. ' _Get the fuck over yourself and do your job!'_ Internal fussing, he walked past Sasuke and said, "Let's make this quick."

Sasuke nodded, fighting back a few sniffles of his own, wiping at his nose with the long sleeves. He followed Shika out into the hall, deep in his thoughts. ' _I should have went after him myself! Why didn't I move? Why haven't I done anything useful?! This is all my fault!'_ He, like the man in front of him, proceeded to blame themselves for things they could never control

Inside the study, they found Kiba sitting up on a lounge chair, holding his stomach. "H-Hey guys! I'm sorry I couldn't be there with you all. D-Did something happen though? Why are you crying, Sasuke?! Where is everyone else?"

"We have a lot of shit to tell you." Shikamaru ushered the pupper teen up, voice sullen. "First, we're leaving this damn place. Can you walk?"

Kiba nodded, moving with a wince. "I think my insides have calmed down enough. This temple stinks to high hell though."

"You've no idea how true that is." He helped his comrade stabilize when it looked like they were about to fall back down.

Sasuke couldn't agree more. "I never want to come back here."

"Preach." Kiba held up a hand, his other arm around his helper's shoulder.

"Please avoid puking on me during the sermon," Shika joked with them, peripherals spotting a shadow pass by suspiciously from outside a window. It's shape was more than familiar. Cautiously, he sat a confused Kiba back down on the couch.

"Dude-"

"Sshh! Wait here. If I don't come back within ten minutes, leave down the tunnel with Sasuke."

"But Gaara said that we should meet him at the-"

"Hush, Sasuke!" Shikamaru snapped, unsure if the person he saw was still there. "I'm going to check on something. That's all. Relax! Breathe!"

Sasuke gulped down many deep breaths to calm himself. To him, they were losing people one by one. "Shika, please don't go!"

"It'll be okay! You have Kiba."

That wasn't the problem. "Why do you keep assuming I'm only worried about myself?!"

"Well...so I can convince myself I'm not worried about you." Shikamaru said on his way out the room with a light pet to the surprised, tearful raven, "Look out for each other."

_\::/ Unleashed Obsession \::/_

Outside the temple, two guards lay bludgeoned to death, stashed in the back of the establishment to float like decoration in the lake. The one responsible was standing at the partly open front door, wearing spots of their blood on his person like it was only natural. This burning inside from the things he'd seen, were growing out of control. He'd probably explode with denial too if he'd heard. As fate would have it, he didn't succeed in following his students inside due to his 'handicapped' backup that needed a guide to where he was waiting.

It was safe to say he'd been outside for quite some time, losing his demented mind more to the meaning. Sounds mostly came from the fair within the castle walls as the main event started off with a blast. He didn't hear such things.

All he could hear was his own dirty thoughts. ' _Does he honestly believe that he can give himself to him…of all people ?! After years of us being together, he... he picks HIM to give his heart to."_ Obito bit down on the corner of his bottom lip hard, controlling inner rage by drawing more blood. ' _My knight, my property… He clearly hasn't learned his lesson at all.'_ Just like that, he freed that corner of his lips and licked away the liquid, intensifying the sting.

"Hey, I'm back! Miss me?" Jiraiya waved with his assault rifle, flashing a grin that faded when he saw the unsettling and pissed expression on the elder man's face. "At least be proud of me! I drew his attention. He should be here soon. Did Menma come out by the way? I saw him running around in there."

"Do you see his body?" Obito's target was the only thing of his concern at the moment.

"I sure hope not! We do need to test him, remember?" Jiraiya chuckled. "Or has your hate for Moriku blinded you at last?"

"I'll admit that I'm having some disturbing thoughts at the moment... That hasn't misguided me from our end goal at all."

Jiraiya shrugged. "If you say so, man. Did you know it would be easier to trap him back at compound?"

"That was the plan."

"Then what happened?"

Obito stared at the door, hearing footsteps coming up from behind it. Quietly he said, "It changed."

_\::/ Feel Good - Look Good \::/_

Gaara followed the sound of dashing footsteps that he hoped belonged to Naruto. He was sure the distressed youth was so out if that he forgot where the exit was. He himself had no idea of where he'd ended up. The temple's size really caught him off guard. He was sure he was near the study where they initially came from, and then again, he wasn't. He hadn't had a panic attack in years since...He shook those thoughts away and roped back in his courage. Quietly, he called out, "Naruto?! Naruto are you anywhere around here?"

Nothing.

He could feel that annoying thump in his chest start screaming at him now. Next, he heard very distant and possible noises. He proceeded in that direction with haste. "Naruto! Naruto, please wait!"

All he could make out this time was a door slam and what sounded like a scuffle.

Gaara raced to the commotion, lead to the front hall of the temple. He slowed down upon seeing the door was partly open when he could have sworn he heard it shut..or was it that door? He became extra cautious and threw out the notion that the guards were outside waiting to arrest someone. He stalked towards the slightly open door, sticking to the shadows, careful not to bump into the rails or vases. Skillfully as if on a tightrope, he pressed against the door that was open the most, peeking out from the darkness slash moonlight coming in.

He could see half of outside, the trail, and the castle. On the ground by the door, his heart dropped to stomach when he saw Shikamaru laid out unconscious on his side. He pushed the other door in as to not hit him, forgetting to check his surroundings then and before. He hurried to his knees regardless to survey him for any damage. When he found none, his moment of exhale became a swift intake when something cold touched the back of his head.

"Isn't this a most precious sight?" Obito stepped out from around the still partially open door, a twitching smile on one side of his blood splattered face. He took a knee before his defiant student who glared at him with lips closed tight. He reached out and brushed his lovely redhead's cheek with a thumb. "Still so warm."

"It's fucking freezing out here man."

' _That voice!'_ Gaara fretted inside more, knowing that was Jiraiya behind him with the muzzle at his head.

Obito disregarded his noisy partner and focused on the beautiful, frightened face he hadn't seen in years. "My you've grown to be quite something, haven't you...?" His voice trailed off just as his hand glided down to thin fabric covering up evidence of what he considered the most gravest betrayal on his student's neck. "You've taken up other men now as well."

"The stones don't work-!" was all Gaara could get out fast before his neck was seized tight by a furious man, applying pressure on the windpipe. He instinctively grabbed onto his assailant's wrist, tugging for release and gaining none.

"What the hell did he say?!"

"Nothing useful, Jiraiya. His mouth is only ever good for one thing," Obito stated flat out, making his student stand up as he did, gripping their neck harder each time they refused to move at the speed he wanted or pull on his arm to much.

Jiraiya watched his older brother display a possessive attitude he didn't think was possible. "Righhhttt….. Keep in mind not to kill him till it's time, man. We have to te-"

"I KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO! I'M THE ONE WHO ORGANIZED ALL THIS SHIT!" Obito snapped at his shook brother, pulling the choking redhead over Shikamaru and holding him close at the throat. "Now go get the fucking car running!"

"OKAY, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Jiraiya snarled back, leaving begrudgingly at his own speed. "I'M ON IT! I PRAY YOU'RE IN THE CAR BY THE TIME I AM!"


	36. It Begins

_\::/ Relapse \::/_

Gaara choked by demand from the grip on his throat doing it's job, stealing his air by the second. The last thing he wanted to be was pass out around his former mentor. The circumstances were hinting that he might not have a choice. He was soon pulled closer against the taller man and held tight enough to where he had to gag, opening his mouth involuntarily. In that instance, a heated muscle invaded his mouth that triggered a rapid succession in his chest and haunting memories to his mind that he thought he'd never see again. He was then cast to the ground where he coughed and inhaled sharply for oxygen. He tried to spit out the taste the the unforgiving tongue had left in his mouth. If his hair wasn't seized by the back of his head so tightly, he could of thrown up. He winced at the harsh tug upright, holding that glower to the man who wanted him to be covered head to toe in fear at its rawest.

"Moriku will not be waking up anytime soon if you don't move." Obito need only pull his student's locks once before they stood up. "Good boy. Now come this way and keep your hands in front."

Gaara stayed quiet too, familiar with how his mentor worked. Because of this, he the cruel man's plan was all to obvious. Straight ahead he stared, ignoring the one thing he detested most in the world to pray that his friends would not come after him. This was such a clear trap that his teachers were trying to set. By leaving Shikamaru alive like that, he knew that it was Obito's idea. His former mentor loved mind games… to make people work only for them to wither, cry and beg for mercy before he was done with them. That was his biggest flaw and yet, most terrifying quality.

"Ishida."

The ginger learned a few mind games of his own, so he ignored him. What he didn't take into account, was how deep his former mentors obsession was. Here's a hint, he didn't even know the guy could ever be obsessed with anything because he always moved on to the next thing. Half of that was correct. What he was wrong about was the 'move on' part.

Obito didn't forget anything he claimed. When he dominated something or achieved anything, he hung onto it and expected it to be his. His student was no exception. He so let go of red hair and moved that hand down to the young man's waist under the travel bag, pulling them in by his side so he could grit out in their ear, "Ishida, I will not call your name again."

"What?" Gaara turned his head away only for his hip to be gripped tighter. He winced again and controlled his voice, knowing it would be mistaken for an invite.

"Does it not feel like only yesterday that I saved you from your family? Do you even remember how much they were selling you for?" Obito chuckled like it was fond memory for both of them.

"No..."

"One hundred dollars flat out even. I never paid them... Did you know that?" He glanced at emerald that only flashed a smidgen of curiosity.

Gaara shrugged, keeping a panic attack at bay. "I….I don't care."

"Of course you don't. You're probably to this day hoping that they died peacefully, and they repented, and your brother regrets raping you-"

"STOP!" he screamed desperately, eyes shut. That word was echoing in his mind the moment his past was brought up. He didn't care. He didn't need to be reminded. He wanted to pretend and forget. Suppress and forget. FORGET! FORGET! FORGET! He held onto his own wrist tight, trying to force himself to relax.

Obito developed a smirked at that sweet outcry of misery. He wanted to pull his student off into the woods and give him something to really bawl about. As time would have it, he had a mission to complete. He did stop them for a second and turned the redhead his way, catching that Jiraiya was to pissed and far ahead to notice them anyway. He then covered the startled redhead's mouth with his palm and used the other to slip under the skirt like armor along the back of his students thigh to a place that made the young man start crying even harder and push against his chest. He could feel the sensation from the whimpers against his firm hand as he licked the thin fabric over a peachy neck and gripped and clawed at the equally thin cloth under the armor.

His kind knight really had grown up and filled out. He didn't get why they resisted so much though. "You should be more obedient. I didn't kill them for nothing."

Gaara's tearful eyes widened, distraught at those empty but cold set in stone words. ' _He...He…wouldn't-'_

The loving kiss Obito gave him on his forehead was enough to tell him otherwise. "What? What's wrong? Don't tell me you're mad at me about that now? They didn't even love you. Your brother was what? A 14-year old rapist in the making? Your older sister was a rising slut. Your mother watched, and your father...ha, he told me everything before he died. None of them gave a damn about you so don't cry for them!"

Gaara averted his eyes down and nodded quickly, fully aware of what would happen if he didn't give some type of response. It didn't mean he liked it. It didn't mean he wasn't already aware of his family before. Yes, they were awful. Yes, they didn't love him, but...but...His panic attack struck, triggering hyperventilation.

Obito rolled his one eye at this old annoying habit and held his student close, allowing him to breathe it out against him. "You're already freaking out? We're not even in bed yet."

Gaara wished he could just drop dead right then from hearing those words versus experiencing. He shook his head frantically and tried to push away this time even harder. Images of his ten year old self that couldn't run either, started popping up like adds. "NO! NO! I DON-NMH!" His mouth and nose were covered again tight, making that little thing called breathing, worse, and leading to his eventual black out.

"Ishida? Ishida, you done? Hm, guess we're not making it there..." Obito loved this part of his redhead's annoying habit. He moved his hand from over full lips and went to shifting his student onto his right shoulder, taking full advantage of the situation. "Hey brother! Get me out a case."

"What the fuck for, you dick?!" Jiraiya asked, turning back halfway around, still agitated from being yelled at.

_\::/ Silent Pain Is The Loudest \::/_

Shikamaru came too sometime later, waking up quick in a fight response, chest rising and falling as his lungs put in work. He took in his surroundings anyway, noting he was by the car now and that Naruto was at his side, looking over him. That wasn't right. He wasn't here the last time he was awake. He was at the temple...outside and then...He winced, touching the back of his head. ' _Did that rat hit m-?'_

"Hey, Shika, you're alright! Glad I found you! I'm...I'm sorry about running off like that." Naruto smiled apologetically, interrupting a thought by accident. "I was fucking lost in that place and it made me realize I was lost in myself and-"

"Naruto, shut the hell up, alright? It's not a big deal... I'm the one who's sorry for being so crass all the time." Shikamaru kept rubbing at the back of his head, feeling dried blood for sure. "Can you tell me where the hell are Gaara and the others, quietly?"

"Hold on. Sasuke! Kiba! He's up!" Naruto shouted, apologizing thereafter at how the clever man bunched up at that. "Sorry again!"

Shika waved him off, chuckling. "Don't bother. You never listen me."

Sasuke and Kiba came from different directions, both having been keeping watch out for the one teammate that wasn't there at all.

"Shika!" Sasuke beamed, running over and down onto his knees to hug him. "I'm glad you're awake!"

"Ah! You're not the only one!" Shikamaru smiled through the pain anyway, prepared when Kiba jumped him next.

"I thought you were going to be only ten minutes!" Kiba pouted, hugging on tighter.

"I wasn't?" he joked in light of the situation, allowing the embrace to last for a few more seconds before pushing them off. "Okay that's enough. Where's Gaara?"

Everyone looked to Shika confused, not helping his blood pressure at all. "Is someone going to give me some form of a damn answer or just stare at me like I'm that guy?!"

"We don't know, man!" Naruto burst out with the truth. "We- We were hoping you knew."

"How would I know if I was knocked the hell out?!"

Naruto matched him in the shouting match. "Then who knocked you the fuck out?!"

"I don't know!" Shikamaru tried his best to remember, thinking of the window. "I saw someone outside the window. I went to go look to make sure that it wasn't...wasn't the..the old rat."

"Jiraiya? That would explain the missing guards." Kiba looked as frightful as everyone else.

"Alright, alright, hold on. Let me think!" Shikamaru took in a slow deep breath and clasped his hands together. He was really trying to calm himself down, hoping the worst hasn't happened. "Cell phone! Gaara has Kiba's cell phone!"

They moved out of his way as he quickly scurried up off the ground, moving to rummaging in the car for his phone that he barely used. When he found it, he powered it on. That took about ten years in his mind. As soon as the main screen popped up, he hit contacts and prepared to call Kiba's phone. He thought about it beforehand and stopped. If Gaara was somewhere where he was hiding, then a call wouldn't help the situation. He decided to send a text instead.

 **[ Shikamaru:** _Gaara, are you alright?! Where are you?_   **] Time: 9:22 p.m.**

Shikamaru then walked back and forth while waiting for a response, staring at the screen.

Naruto watched him along with Kiba and Sasuke in anticipation.

As soon as his message was tagged as ' _seen'_ , he stilled . The little dots then popped up, telling him a response was on its way.

 **[Kiba:**   _Shikamaru?_   **] Time: 9:34 p.m.**

"Is that Gaara?" Sasuke asked, excited to hear that 'ding' sound.

"Yes! I mean, I think. Give me a sec." That message should of alerted Shikamaru. He was full of foolish hope just like the others. He texted back like his life depended on it.

 **[ Shikamaru:** _Of course it's me! Where are you?! We can come get you!_   **] Time: 9:35 p.m.**

Twenty minutes elapsed this time before he got a response despite it being seen.

 **[Kiba:**  (x- Video File) (0:15)  **] Time: 9:55 p.m.**

Shikamaru had every right to be alarmed by the random video. To add to the caution, the thumbnail was of pitch black darkness. He prepared himself and closed his eyes, choosing to listen rather than see. He pressed the play icon with his thumb that hovered over it. For about two seconds, his hears picked up nothing but the sound of a low car engine, things moving around and then... moaning.

His eyes snapped open and he unfortunately looked at the screen that shifted from the roof of a moving car, to a sideways partially downward angle of the upper half of the oldest mentor. The wretched man was on top of the unconscious and ruffled ginger in the back of the car. He smirked on the sly at the camera, clothes a mess and unbuttoned, a firm hand to Gaara's bruised neck beneath him, tightly. The poor young man's torso was completely bare with further nicks on his skin that didn't stop at his neck this time.

Obito's drunken voice had the nerve to come out of the phone in rasp. His alcohol coated tongue took to finding areas on Gaara's neck he hadn't reclaimed, moving an un-busy hand to pull on red hair and broaden his reach. " _ **Hah, you know if you fucked him, Moriku? Ahh, so damn warm and mmm ~ I'll be able to tell you in a minute! -"**_ Obito dropped the camera to do just that, heart wrenching noises ensuing. No one's ears wanted to commit suicide any longer because Shikamaru chucked the phone as hard as he could at a tree, breaking it instantly, causing it to die out to the static sound of the nauseating kind.

Shikamaru covered his mouth hard by bringing his left forearm over it as much as he could, biting into his flesh to muffle his gut-full of rage from the world into the joint. He could and would never be able to cope. Every ounce of anger in his body was being pulled out of him with barbwire as he emptied his lungs out. His mind was in no better condition. ' _I'LL KILL HIM! I'LL KILL HIM! I'LL KILL HIM! **'**_  over and over and over and over again he swore his life to it, drawing blood.

Naruto was in utter shock. His buddy next to him all but broke down crying.

Kiba couldn't deal and so got up and walked off with a hand over his mouth, tears overflowing over.

Azure orbs drifted down, spotting clear salty liquid drip from his face too. "G-Guys...we...we need to go and..! We can't let him-!" he bit back that last remark, fist clenched. "Nara!"

Shikamaru stopped at his last name, moving his arm away, staring blankly at the broken cellular device. His arm continued to leak equal red that dripped from the corners of his mouth. He'd remembered a promise he made. "Car. Now."

_\::/ Like Old Times \::/_

Oak, darkness, heat, and pressure.

Those were the first things that Gaara sensed. Then came a searing, pulse like pain in his lower back that made him scream and grip onto a pillow. The square fluff did do him a blessing in hiding his whimpers and drying his tears, distracting him for a moment as well from a sickly feeling all over his body that was warmer elsewhere where it shouldn't be. He slowly looked up with heavy eyes, breathing labored as that pressure built up more on his back. All he could see in the barely lit room was the wooden headboard of a bed in front of him because of his prone position. At his left, he felt a familiar, unsettling heat on his neck that made him pause. He shifted emeralds to look to the side at a snail's pace, wanting to fall apart when he saw messy black hair over his shoulder. It's owner groaned lowly, brushing against him for a second like a the worst nuzzle possible.

He realized then what had happened and where he was.

He instantly started to panic again and so buried his face back in the pillow, emptying his lungs out silently and gripping the sheets this time harder as his body tensed up, knuckles white. Of the million thoughts running through his head, all were basically saying, ' _FLEE!_ '

Gaara attempted to do that when the shakes died down some. He sniffled quietly in distress every now and then anyway, using a trembling hand to slowly push the naked, alcoholic monster behind him off by the bandaged side of their face that was closest. When he could get his other arm up, he was able to help ease himself out from under a daunting heat. After his success in not waking his tormentor once off, he rolled onto his back just as carefully, clenching his teeth hard through tears at the thumbtack pricks taking stabs all over his lower section. There was this nerve pinch shooting up his back to join in the fray. ' _It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay-'_ "NGH!" He slapped a hand over his mouth and killed that sound that was bound to come out as soon as he was flat.

He kept that hand firmly over his bruised lips, knowing he was about to make a louder noise. In one go, he heaved himself up, bed creaking while he cried out into both of his hands. He arched up straight to alleviate some of the pins and needles making a symphony down below.

Like Obito had said, he was good a dissociating pain to perform.

Gaara forced himself up off the bed at his own choice of speed as to not fall back down or onto the floor. He pushed aside the wobble in his knees, that trail of sickening tempered liquid seeping between the back of his legs, and the freezing air that stabbed at his completely naked and scarred skin all over. He looked around for a way out, spotting parts of his knight outfit scattered everywhere on the floor. He avoided the pieces physically and mentally, taking in the rest of the room.

He had no idea where he was.

It looked medieval, poorly looked after, and abandoned. The room was only lit due to the candle on the nightstand. There was at least a window in which the white moonlight came in.

Unfortunately, it was to small and broken for him to escape through.

The door proved to be his only option.

With his arms about himself and a wince, he made his way to the wooden exit, limping. The moment he did, he grabbed the door knob and turned it at the proper speed given the circumstances… He tried to at least.

It didn't budge no matter how gentle he was, or when he jerked it, pulled it, and screamed his pain at it. He banged on the door eventually, cursing and crying, exhausting himself, forgetting his assaulter's presence. He slumped down with his back against the door and bunched up, crying quietly the best he could and trembling.

He'd had four years to fix his mind, recover, suppress memories of unwanted contact and…and...All he could do now was try to distract himself from everything like he did when he was a child. He thought about his friends! He thought about each one of them individually, hoping they were alright and that they wouldn't come for him. He knew better than that. A special someone would never leave him here...And it was that thought that put a sad smile on his face. What could he do then? How could he save them time and effort? Killing himself would make things worse. He could try to escape again, but how would he notify them?

At that thought, he remembered the cell phone. His hopes sank when he saw no travel bag in sight. He closed his eyes and tried to think of another way. He could attempt to overpower Obito, but drunks were awfully strong. It didn't work out so well when he was younger too… Then again, there was the key to the room he could always look for! ' _Where would he put that damn key?'_ he thought, opening his eyes and shrieking at the man that had been watching him intently up close. He backed up against the door as close as he could, knees up in a slant and arms wrapped about himself, his head turned away.

"Where did you think you were going to go?"

Gaara swallowed hard and shivered at the voice on his ear that traveled everywhere. With a voice filled to the brim in hate, he said, " _Away from you._ "

"Ah, I see." Obito backed off, chuckling in a pissed off way before grabbing his students jaw and forcing them to look at him. "Are you upset because you were asleep the whole time? I can take care of that."

The redhead shook his head the best he could, straining away as his former mentor licked and bit at his cheek beneath an eye and down, drawing the shakes from him more. He whispered in an old traumatized state he'd been reduced too, "P-Please don't!"

Obito actually paused for a second and leaned off again, freeing that bruised jaw. "Then stand up."

Gaara nodded, scared out of his mind and fearing the worst to experience awake. Hesitantly, he started to stand despite how much he was shaking. When he was about to fall, his former mentor caught him by his elbow and forced him up the rest of the way. He dealt with a brief push back against the door thereafter by the taller man. Each of his wrist were seized after and held up to rest at the level of his neck. He didn't look at his mentor during all this. He couldn't. He was to busy trying not to pass out again, fearing he might not wake up wanting to live next time.

"Turn around."

At those words, he choked up and started to bawl again, head shifting downward with watery eyes closed tight. "I-I don't want thi-!"

"Ishida." Obito cut him off, gripping the back of ginger hair, tilting his students head up gently. He took pleasure in this immensely. This kind of crippling power over someone. He loved it. To make a body this weak against you despite their ability to fight back, that was true control in his eye. There was a hair thin fraction of jealousy inside. No matter how many marks he put on his student's body, the ones on their neck left him...toxic. "Did you cry this much when you were with him?"

He didn't receive an answer back in a timely manner. So, he turned his student around roughly and slammed them against the door by their shoulders.

"W-WAIT! DON'T! STOP! PLEASE I'M SOR-AH!" Gaara freaked, reaching back to stop the assault himself despite his head being held against the door hard. He struggled, flailing so much that his hair was finally let go just for his shoulders to be grabbed and pulled away from the door violently to send him to the floor. He grimaced at the rough landing on his side but tried to get away again. He scrambled to his knees, reaching out to the night stand leg to pull onto.

Obito was thinking way ahead of him. He came down to his unruly ginger, ticked, grabbing their defined waist and yanking him back. "We can do it like this if you want to that badly!"

"GET OFF ME!GET OFF ME!" Gaara fought back harder, screaming loud enough to wake those next door around. He managed to turn himself around only to be pinned to the floor, fighting for control of his arms.

"Ishida! The more you resist me, it only makes it worse for you!"

"I HATE YOU!"

Obito chuckled at that teeth-full comment that gave him strength. He won the war for their wrists and forced them down by ginger hair, asserting himself further between lesion coated thighs. "You hate me? After all I've done for you...to you?!"

Gaara strained away from him the closer the monster tried to get, kicking his legs to help push his body and try to shift the weight around to his favor. When that failed, he spat in the vile one's face that got to close.

It proved effective in the wrong way. Obito had flinched only a smidgen since majority of the spite sent his way landed on the bandaged side, barely dampening anything. Dryly he said, "Ishida, I want you to feel everything you've put me through."

Emerald eyes widened in terror and resisted harder than before. He was backhanded for his efforts without restraint, enabling stars and splotches of black to obscure his vision. His head bobbed back as warm blood poured from out either corner of his lips down to the floorboards. He laid there in a minute daze as he his body was pulled and moved to where the monster wanted it to be. The second his right leg was bent over Obito's shoulder, he came to. He moved that leg off to their annoyance and wrestled with him again, aiming for the bandaged eye this time.

Obito denied him that attempt by biting their hand and licking what he drew out of the punctured skin. It made his heart race when his student cried out so horror-struck and writhed beneath him. The whole situation was exciting him and intensified when his student grabbed his hair harshly to try to pull him off when he decided to bite at their collar bone. He chortled darkly at their weak attempts at push him off. "What? Is that all you can do?" he mocked in lust, forcing his greedy lips on damaged plush ones in desire. What he got was what he deserved.

Gaara bit down on a tongue that forced it's way in his mouth. The only reason he let the bleeding muscle go without tearing off a piece was because the hand prints on his throat were now being redone with enough force to make him gasp.

"You filthy little bitch!" Obito put his strength in it to really choke the teen out, swallowing the blood from his bleeding tongue. He used the leaking excess on the ginger's tears, lapping up there cheek. He backed up from their color fading, gasping face, and relished at the sight, tightening his grip. The ginger tried to reach him again and eventually had to settle on his forearms, desperately trying to pull him off. "You drove me to do this on purpose. We could of-"

Knock! Knock! Knock!

' _Who the hell?!'_  Obito glanced back, aggravated. He ignored the door and pulled the pillow from off the bed, shoving it over the gingers face and holding it there to keep the teen's voice down. "Sshh! Spread your legs more while your at it."

Gaara could breathe a little by how off the pillow was placed. Whatever sound he could make was still in a panic and muffled, reaching out for anything, blindly.

For Obito, this was easier when his student was a child or unconscious. He opted to scare him a little more to submission. Instead of one hand, he put both on each side of the pillow and held it down tightly more securely over the gingers face. The smaller male's body reacted as he predicted. He took that opportunity to press his own against Gaara to keep their thrashing form under control. He loved the friction over the young male violently pushing against him and their distressed hands yanking at his hair. "Mmm, f-fuck, Ishid-"

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"WHO IS IT?!" He snapped back, losing his temper and so unconsciously pressing down further, moving his hips against the squirming young male, scarring them more.

"It's me! Please tell me you didn't kill him!"

' _Jiraiya? Seriously?!'_ How much that man annoyed him was demonstrated in how roughly he started to kiss a spot on the pillow where he suspected his students lips were behind. He was further turned on by the redhead's slow turn to submission.

That was not the case.

Gaara, during that whole time, experienced true helplessness like he did in the beginning. He couldn't breathe and he could barely hear. He fought to the last minute. The only thing on his mind driving him when nearing blackout was of his friends and all of them togeth-… toget _

"Obito! I'm serious! Don't fucking kill him!"

"I'm trying to do quite the opposite!" Obito growled back at the door. Meanwhile, his redhead had finally relaxed, allowing him to push closer. Once fighting hands, had now gone limp slowly, slipping out of his dark hair to the floor boards. He saw nothing. He moaned and made out with pillow casing more that he held there longer than he should have because Jiraiya was pissing him off.

"Could you not!? The men say they saw a car driving around! I'm sure our students are here! Come on and get in fucking pla-!"

"I'll be there in a minute!" Every time they spoke to each other, another horrible minute actually went by because Obito refused to respond back... in a timely manner...

"We need you now!"

"Mmmmm, uhuh, he's finally calmed down..."

"OBITO!"

"I'll just fill him up for a bit!"

"YOU CAN DO THAT SHIT LATER!"

"OKAY THEN!" Obito didn't plan on stopping just like that. He could do a quickie and make the session longer later. He snaked his arms under smooth legs at the knee, pushing them forward by placing his palms on the floor by dainty shoulders, turned on by how easy all this was finally. "You're going to love this like you did before, Ishida!"

The pillow that had his hand molds on either side, remained perfectly situated over his students face. The young man's arms weren't twitching or moving either at his voice. Suspicious, he quickly pushed the pillow off. There he was met with the blankly staring face of his property with blood smeared around the corners of lips and cheeks from the pillow.

"I-Ishida?"

No response. Those emeralds stayed locked on the ceiling.

Alarmed, he dropped Gaara's legs and leaned down over his student's chest to listen to their heartbeat that will never beat for him. Ten agonizing seconds later, he came to realize what he'd done for minutes on end. "Oh...oh fuck!"

"What?! What happened? You alright?! Did he bite you or something?"

Obito freaked out this time so much that he couldn't bring himself to comment back at his brother. He'd picked up Gaara and laid his body down on the bed surprisingly gently, disregarding all the rag doll signs and lifeless eyes. He took a seat by the ginger's side and tapped their dried tear streaked face, looking him over and calling out, "Ishida? ISHIDA?!"

Nothing happened, no matter how loud he shouted.

Resuscitation didn't lend him relief either.

"GOD DAMMIT!" Obito cursed and pushed himself up off the bed, biting a knuckle. He figured he could always bring his student back. That was a positive note. The problem was what if the redhead was the heir then…. ' _SON OF A BITCH!'_

"What the hell is going on in there?!" Jiraiya finally got his answer when the door was unlocked and jerked open. He was met with the angry naked sight of his brother. "WOAH! Put some fucking pants o-"

"He's dead."

"What?! Who?!" He looked around the guilty older man into the room to see the beaten redhead now lying motionless on his brother's bed. "You...YOU fucking idiot!" He shouted at his blood brother before running into the room where he checked the ginger's pulse fast. When he found none, he let Gaara's arm drop back down halfway off the bed. He then turned dramatically to the man responsible, a hand at the back of his head, scratching. "W-Woooow... You… After I told you forty milli- REPEATEDLY not to-!" He bit his tongue and grabbed the sheets, covering the redhead up to his hair. The pillow, he kicked under the bed. He wasn't going to let this set them back. "Lucky for us, I know how to salvage your stupid ass mistake!"


	37. Unprepared

_\::/ Heaven's So Far Away \::/_

The decision that underwent on how to get Gaara back, lasted a millisecond at best and would suffer for such. They ran in blinded by the assumption that they were ready.

Luck was what they had in the end.

"How's it going out front?" Shikamaru asked through walkie talkie, out of breath and straddled over one of the guns for hire he'd just beaten before flat out shooting them in the head for aggravating him. As he waited for an answer, he looked over at Naruto, grinning at the kid who was savagely banging one of the other hired jerks against the side wall of the establishment.

That was his mood right now.

" _ **Uuuhhh! W-We're good! *tire screeches* I mean -*gunfire* Sasuke says I could drive better! *Sasuke screaming in the background* Have you guys made it inside?!"**_

"I'll get back to you on that. We've still got company here." He shifted up off the dead man with his arms raised to surrender as two more of the expendable men came out of the back door down the small set of stone steps.

Each held their gun to him. Why they didn't fire was because he was wanted alive, and he knew it. He'd only held up his hands for distraction purposes. He watched them figure that out at a very slow pace.

No matter.

Naruto sneaked up on them from around the corner and presented each one a bullet where it counts.

As the bodies hit the floor, Shika returned back to the walkie to say, "You guys keep dealing with the ones up front till your done. We'll wait here."

" _ **Copy that! See you guys soon!"**_

"I think those were the last ones, Shika. I don't hear or see anyone else coming out this door."

"Bad for them and good for us. Did you pack the explosives?" Shikamaru asked, pulling off the bow around the plastic armor plate. None of them bothered to change for time was of the essence.

"Yeah! You want me to go to the right wing?" Naruto's adrenaline showed in his breathy question.

He nodded, breaking the string off the bow to tie it to the walkie to wear it like a necklace. "If that's where you think they're keeping their supplies. It'll take their interest at least. Mind telling me why the hell they picked this place though?"

"It's close to the kingdom," Naruto said with a casual muzzled gunshot to one of the downed men that moved by his feet. "They'd make it to the tower easier this way. We stayed in the barracks. Our mentors stayed here in the knights quarters."

"Of course they would."

The SUV soon pulled up beside them, coming to a quick stop. It had a few bullet holes, broken windows, and bloodstains on the hood.

"Gaara is not going to be happy about his car." Shikamaru surveyed the vehicle, imagining the redhead's reaction, their face in general, happy, not hurt… His thoughts walked that depressive line, so he moved on quickly. "Good job nonetheless you two."

"Eh, I did most of the work." Kiba gave the shaky teen getting out of the car a small one armed hug. "He screamed the whole time!"

Sasuke nodded with his hair back to normal, embarrassed and not happy until they had Gaara back with them. "We're going in now?"

"We?" Shikamaru smiled at the determined raven. "Sasuke, I'm not allowing you-"

"You don't have a choice." He cut him off and broke away from the half hug to take a knee, searching one of the hired gun's weapons. He claimed a sidearm instead of the rifle. He figured he could handle that a lot better.

Naruto didn't like this one bit, but he didn't like leaving his comrade to something much worse. "If you're coming, you keep up and stay with Shikamaru. He's on retrieval, which is something you should be familiar with! Kiba and I are going to do the distractions we talked about. You good for that?"

"I gotcha!" Sasuke understood the idea, no complaints whatsoever. He then followed his friends up the small gray steps and through the back door. Inside, he went along with Shikamaru down the hall ahead while the other two went the opposite to the right. The whole place smelled like oak and smoke. Dust and lighting were also an issue since the concrete walls were littered with very few broken windows.

Thankfully, this wasn't a problem.

Naruto had told them all what to expect. What they didn't know was what was in the rooms each mentor stayed in. Other than that, they were bound to see fallen statues of knights and armor stands around the halls. All of it was very questionable, but he didn't dare ask anything. The mission was to go in, get Gaara, and get out. He was more than happy with that on top of that fact that his friend had immediately gave up crazy notions about stealing the stones.

Gaara was more important to all of them. He'd become like a brother away from home to him especially. He started to think about what he heard and what the kind man went through, calling forth a tear in him that he brushed. Silence was the focal point. Still, his hands were trembling. He was beyond upset at the person who not only took the redhead, but likely had hurt all of his friends at one point. While upset in his thoughts, he nearly bumped into Shikamaru who had stopped. He caught himself and shook his head before looking up to see the door that was foretold had a weird symbol on it like a fox. This was supposedly Obito's room.

Shikamaru had numerous things on his mind meanwhile alongside actual numbers. He knew this whole thing was a trap and didn't care. Nothing else could matter more than this. He pulled out his handgun and continued the countdown that had started the moment he and the not so blond stepped foot in the knight's place. "-5...4...3...2...1!"

Off went an explosion in the right wing as planned. It shook the establishment and provided the distraction they needed.

Shikamaru kicked in the door to the room to generate a shock to whoever was behind. He swiftly raised his gun after, ready to bury lead in one person in particular that wasn't there. The inside was empty and cold. His sight drifted over to the bed when he caught a glimpse of red hair there. His heart skipped a beat in excitement, but he stayed alert. He nodded for Sasuke to stay out. He himself went in cautiously, turning this way and that to check behind the door to make sure a repeat at the temple didn't happen.

Quietly, he called out, "Gaara! Gaara, get up!"

The wind whistled in from the small broken window, but that was it.

Shikamaru tried to keep focus on his surroundings. His worry for the redhead not answering him, overrode all of his natural instincts. He grumbled, assuming his comrade was resting...struck with fear..something physically active. He moved to go to there side and heard a crack. He looked down and came to notice the plastic armor pieces all over the place among other things like blood. It took a toll on his emotions, especially when he noticed the white sheet was over Gaara's face.

It wasn't right.

The way Gaara was laying, wasn't right.

The fact that he clearly wasn't breathing, wasn't right.

Everything whispered bad signs to him.

Gaara's hand hanging off the bed, had a visible bite mark on it. The floorboard just below was stained to a matching color that dripped from the male's lifeless fingertips.

Shikamaru walked over steadily and took a seat on the bed beside his comrade. He didn't dare look at him. He wanted to try again. He wanted to deny every fraction of evidence in front of him. "Gaara, you need to... We have to go."

Nothing.

Sasuke waited, keeping watch outside. He could hear a commotion coming from up ahead, guessing the distraction was working. He had a feeling that it wouldn't be for long. He looked inside to see Shikamaru leaning over some with his hands closed together at his forehead, right leg shaking. "Shika? You okay? Can he move? I don't think we have enough time!"

Shikamaru didn't speak, but the walkie around his neck did.

" _ **Shika, it's Naruto! I know we tal ~about ~ being a trap, but something is wr~a you~ave Gaara?!"**_

He stared at the wall ahead, unable to respond to that static littered question. Calmly, as if in a bad dream, he reached out and held the ginger's marked hand that didn't close back around his. He brought that ice-y, lifeless thing to his lips, holding it there as if it would eventually become warm, move, something...anything. He glanced at the cruel sheet hiding his love's face, knowing one more look could be it. He carefully pulled the cloth down closest with a vacant hand, lungs failing when he saw those emeralds that were no longer joyous.

Then it all came crashing down.

_\::/ Altar \::/_

The last thing Sasuke remembered was calling out Shikamaru's name before everything went black. Unlike the experience he had at the high school a few days ago, this blackout was different. Things started to become real fuzzy and fade in and out.

One minute he was on the floor watching Shikamaru in to much of utter grief and shock to fight back, be pulled away from Gaara who he then realized wasn't lifting a hand to help at all. ' _G-Gaara? Gaara...! Why isn't he-'_ Darkness overtook him.

The next time he barely woke, he was being carried somewhere. He was outside. He was shivering over someone's shoulder. This time he could hear Naruto and Kiba screaming about something...Maybe it was him? Maybe it was Gaara? And then, the light faded again.

Eventually, he did start to come to fully, but he couldn't see anything. His eyes were blindfolded and his was also lying on his side, fully capable of sitting up to his knees. As soon as he did so, something hot touched the back of his head. He didn't dare move, and said nothing. He did wince when his blindfold was yanked off roughly from behind him. The moonlight that was coming in from the four windows in the weird concrete place, wasn't blinding at all. He did have to adjust his eyes to the dimness to see the altar in the center. ' _What…?! Where is everyone?'_  He looked to the side for himself to see Naruto, Kiba, and Shikamaru were all sitting up on their knees next to him, each having their blindfold ripped off by an eye-patch wearing, silver haired man.

Naruto looked pissed beyond all hell while the pupper teen next to him looked anxiety stricken.

The worst of all was Shikamaru. He looked bleak...dismal...like he'd been crying hard a few minutes ago and had now all but cracked from it. His heavy eyes never left the ground. He was also the only one with injuries.

"Shika?" Sasuke whispered, scared and concerned to why the clever man was like this. He didn't think that kind of depression was possible for him. He wanted to call out to him again to ask.

Sadly, his furious and distressed to tearful friend, had something to say, "YOU ALL ARE SO FUCKING DEAD!"

"Nice to see your fight hasn't gone anywhere, Menma," Obito complimented, gesturing mockingly with a cane at the echo the grieving teen created in the cylinder.

"My poor Moriku hasn't said a word." Orochimaru frowned mockingly, kneeling in front of his sullen student with a knife, using the tip to tilt their chin up. He tossed his stone up and down in the other. "We told you we're going to bring him back. Smile, mon amour."

"Bring who back?" Sasuke's answer came from the doors to the tower that were pushed open.

In walked Jiraiya, carrying a familiar body wrapped haphazardly in a white sheet. An arm was hanging out while the other was wrapped. The same 'care' went for the redhead's legs. "He's heavy as shit."

"They're always heavy after, well." Orochimaru shrugged, smirking at his student who hadn't budged at all. His smirk fell into a pout from not getting a reaction. "You're no fun when you're heartbroken."

Sasuke was no better. It was almost exactly like the time he found out Naruto was gone. What would he have done if he saw their lifeless body be carried in and placed at the foot of an altar table like an afterthought. Eyes watering and voice shaky, he asked out in disbelief, "G-Gaara?'

"This won't bring him back!" Naruto was the main one trying to convince them now with desperation. "The stones don't grant life! Nothing you do will work!"

Of course he was ignored by all except Kakashi whom was tasked with watching the prisoners. He, in truth, didn't care what the stones did and didn't do. He had his student in his sight and planned to keep him that way. "You're preaching to a wall, Menma. Give up. We'll be out of here soon."

"We better make this quick for you then." Obito had heard, smirking with a twitch. He walked up to the altar and placed his stone in a broken corner where it fit perfectly. He did share a curt look at the desolate face of the redhead poking out of the side of the stone table on the floor, wondering what face they'll make when they come back. More so when he came back the way he wanted him to be. Strictly his and devoted.

"I'll be seeing you soon! We might can make you quite the looker for once," Orochimaru whispered into the ear of his sullen teen. Their lack of reaction pissed him off, but he kept a positive air and kissed the unresponsive man on their cut cheek before jumping up and heading to the table.

Shikamaru was very aware. He could hear, see, and feel. All of that input created a wave of never ending erosion is his heart, making him wish for death to hurry up and call his name. His lost left him dying slowly anyway, swallowed by hate and broken pieces his worth. That hate for himself led him to process what he could of had if he'd just let go.

"I'm trying to think of the first thing I'm going to do," Jiraiya said cheerfully, placing his and Kakashi's stone.

"Make a brothel?" Obito teased, chuckling at the glare he caused.

"Is that all you got? Why don't I tell Shika who suffocated Gaara, huh?" Jiraiya grinned, impressed the student mentioned showed no reaction.

"I'm pretty sure he knows." Obito waved at Shikamaru, laughing at how they looked all defeated. "And he knows he can't do shit about it so, why don't we make him suffer a little more. Go get Kiba."

Shikamaru shot up at the chance to save his friend. He so blurted out to everyone's surprise, "I'm the heir!"

It was quiet for a minute as the mentors processed what the once thought traumatized induced mute said.

"Huh, we'll then you're definitely going to be the last." Obito would pay a dime for someone to explain to him how Shika could have honestly thought that would work. He hated him above all the other students. This plan was to torture the clever bastard than anything else, and achieve the end goal. What a joy it was to watch all of them start panicking and pleading anyway.

"This is pointless! Kakashi, please!" Naruto begged his one eyed teacher, unafraid of the handgun the man held to them that was ready to shoot whoever moved to intervene. He didn't recognize the cold stare he brought upon himself. He could feel the possessive desire behind that one eye that made him turn away, chest rising and falling rapidly in fright.

Sasuke sat there staring at Gaara's dead body, not over the redhead's death at all. He therefore didn't notice Jiraiya come over and drag the pupper teen off. Nor did he see Shikamaru be shot in the leg for trying to intervene. He did hear that gunshot and his friend's outcry that snapped him out of his tearful gaze. His attention turned to the bleeding comrade who was trying to push through outer and inner pain to move. "SHIKA!"

Naruto couldn't look, not again. Closing his eyes only made the situation worse for he could see all of their deaths regardless. It played in his head like the scene before him now only differently and yet still ending the same. He had no choice but to open and watch.

"Look who's not afraid all of a sudden." Obito marveled at his most childish student who managed to lift himself up and jerk away from Jiraiya to walk on his own. "I think I actually kind of missed you, Tori. Shame you're training went out the window. I really thought you'd turn on Naruto back there."

Kiba shrugged, showing nothing but hate and spite for his mentor. He walked up to the altar and stood there, avoiding eye contact with all of them. If he was going to die. It was going to be unafraid and happy. A way he wished all of them could have had that leisure of. He bit his bottom to use pain to stop himself from crying and looking at the redhead on the floor...the only other person that took care of him like an actual adult...gave him rules, taught him right from wrong, fed him, brushed his hair...All happy thoughts. It enabled him to smile when he was forced to bend over against the table, held down by his hair.

"I think he likes it!" Orochimaru cooed, watching the clear far off smile on Kiba's face.

"Well I think he's not it." Jiraiya looked at the white moonlight that was coming in at all four sides. None of the beams were changing a single bit after a minute.

"How do you guys know to do this?" Kakashi questioned, unknowingly buying time due to his confusion.

Obito smiled. "Should we tell him now?"

"I think so."

Kakashi ignored the shit eating grin from Jiraiya. "Tell me what?"

"The rest of the legend! The last lead on the heir! It goes,  _For they knew the stones would begin to lose their power. For surely if not slowly till four foolish men sought out the king's tower. So when and if they find it, don't lay under the night skies, so that the blue moon won't reveal the last true heir to their unchanging eyes._ " The eldest almost sounded like he was overly impressed with himself, swirling his cane. "That brother, is the true ending to the legend thought to be destroyed by the scribes. A thankfully greedy child saved this piece and sold it for a better life. It floated around and around till the legend became only a dream. We traced it to a market in that town we had you disguise as a teacher and now, here we are."

"And why didn't you guys tell me?"

"You can be a bit emotional sometimes." Orochimaru tried to be the lighthearted one. "Aka, a little bitch about things."

"You really think you would of been cool if we told you?" Jiraiya asked, observing his brother.

Kakashi didn't understand. "I've always known we'd have to kill the heir."

"True, but you see, the kings made a mistake of trusting their knights. If your student gets on this table, and the moon's light shines blue or not, we're killing him either way." Obito chuckled, loving how quick the man frightened snatched up the not so blond and held him close. "Whether you're alive or not too."

"Save him last." Kakashi's grip around the squirming teen's shoulder tightened, scaring the boy in his arms. He had to buy more time somehow.

"Why bother? We're already down to three." He used his cane then to point to the hole in the wall. "Toss this useless pet."

Kiba didn't scream, cry, or fight it like his friends were for him. He approached the hole in the wall by his own will, disregarding the mentor that followed him anyway. The breeze outside was nice, chilly and welcoming like the night sky. He stepped onto the cliff, hearing his friends begging for him to stop. His first glance over that cliff did make him do such. He shook his head, feeling a hand on his back.

"You going to jump, kid? Or do I need to push you?"

"C-Can I tell my friends something?"

Jiraiya moved his hand off their back and said with false interest, "Sure, kid! Go ahead!"

Kiba turned around, looking past the old rat to his crying friends. He faked a brave smile and said, "I-I love all of- _!"

"He wasn't done?" Jiraiya had shoved the kid without warning, chuckling at the scream on the way down. It wasn't as bad compared to the ones the other teens behind him let out. He pocketed his hands and leaned over the edge to make sure they splattered everywhere like he'd imagined. Thanks to the crashing waves, it ruined it for him. "That's disappointing! He's dead though in case anyone was curious!"

"KIBA!" Naruto screamed and jerked around in an attempt to get free, everything happening way to fast for him to handle.

Sasuke had looked away immediately and covered his mouth the best he could, pouring his own cries into them.

As for Shikamaru who was bleeding out on the cold concrete floor, continued to do so when he gave up on putting pressure on his wound. He stared in horror at the cliff that his comrade was just pushed off of. He thought it was his fault. His failure at protecting them and leading them. He couldn't save anyone. He cursed and let his natural anger and spite course, specifically to the guy he felt was responsible for it all. "OBITO!"

Obito spared him one callous look. "What is it, Shika? Are you upset? Want to kill me? Will that be before or after I take everything from you?"

"Probably the latter." Orochimaru smiled, walking over to the next test object. "I'm guessing the cute one is up, Obito?"

"Definitely."

"NO! WAIT! SASUKE! DON'T TOUCH HIM!" Naruto cried out to his friend who was grabbed by their hair and yanked up and out of their mourning. No matter how much he pushed and struggled against his mentor, like Kiba, he couldn't save him either. And like Shikamaru, he took all the blame. "THIS WON'T WORK! IT'S MY FAULT-"

"Let him go, Menma! His death will be a necessary freedom for us," Kakashi said with a harsh kiss to his student's head, excited for the dispatching moment of all his suffering even if he wasn't going to be the one to do it. He had Menma. That was all he'd long ago realized he needed.

At least Shikamaru was starting to finally see how pointless this fighting, pleading, and screaming was. He didn't know if it was because of the lightheaded-ness he was starting to get from loss of blood due to the artery struck, or because of what Kakashi had said, hit a deja vu chord in him.

"Oh my god he's a squirmer! Can we bring him back if he's the heir? I'd love to keep him!" Orochimaru grinned and pulled the teen harshly up on their feet when they started to drag. He had an arm around their waist and shoulders, making it a most unpleasant hug from behind. "He's already dressed and everything! So much cuter than Shika!"

"You can do whatever the hell you want with him after this." Obito chuckled, doing a double take at Sasuke. He looked familiar to a face he'd hadn't seen for quite some time. A face he thought he'd erased long ago. "You must favor your mother, huh? "

Sasuke didn't want to talk to any of them, so he kept his mouth shut tight and struggled to get free.

Obito hated defiance and his mother, so he didn't bother questioning about something he told himself he didn't care about. He was sure that the woman somehow had a daughter or son before he killed her and then that kid... He cursed himself, feeling like he didn't finish the job. Oh well, at least he knew what he was going to do after all this. "Hey, Jiraiya! You done over there?"

Jiraiya shrugged, moving away from the cliff. "I'm coming! I'm coming," he said as he went to Orochimaru's aid, helping bend the raven over the table.

Like a sign from god, the moon's light...did nothing. There's wasn't a flicker, a shimmer, or even a chime.

The delusional men continued to try anyway.

"Son of a... Obito!"

"I know, Jiraiya! Relax! We still have two more students. So toss this one an-"

"But you said I could have him!" Orochimaru held onto the wriggling teen, snatching him from the fuming second eldest of them.

"Okay, okay." Obito held up his hands to let him know it was cool. "He's yours."

"You're all crazy!" Sasuke screamed at them through tears, straining away from the creepy man kissing his neck.

Orochimaru did love the teen's refusal, he brought out his knife again and held it to the raven's neck, making him hold still. "Dulce, dulce, dulce!"

Jiraiya was the only one of the mentors starting to see this was going nowhere fast. "I'm sick of this bullshit! Kakashi! Bring. Menma. Over. Here!"

"No." Kakashi shook his head defiantly and stepped back against the wall with Naruto in his arms. He didn't see the point in this anymore. Clearly, none of the students were the heir so why even bother to try his. The way his brothers were looking at him, made him feel like he didn't have a choice.

Jiraiya especially. "Kakashi, give me that damn kid!"

"Test Moriku first."

Obito didn't have an ounce of worry. He was overly confident and sure of himself and the legend. He could tell his comrades weren't as 'stable'. "I was saving him for last, but eh. Jiraiya, bring him up here before he bleeds out on us and you lose your shit."

"Thank yo-!" Jiraiya paused mid gratitude due to suddenly being sprayed by a gush of warm blood that hit him on the left side of his face and neck. He blinked, startled like everyone else. His eyes then slowly drifted towards the direction it came from.


	38. Chapter 38

Sasuke blinked, his head tilted to the side as a tear fell. A few seconds ago, he was being forcefully kissed. He bit the assaulter and then felt a twinge that stretched across his neck. When he opened his mouth to say something, he quickly closed it as a red river came spilling out the corners. He knew then. The last thing on his mind was Naruto. He looked at the teen, wanting to tell him he was sorry for not saving him, for not finding him, for never telling him he'd always and forever wil_.

"The cunt bit me!" Orochimaru touched his lip with the same bloody hand that held the knife. He ignored the teen whose head had now drooped down, the flow of red never ending and so soaking his arm that held the limp body up, conjuring a bright little puddle at their feet.

"SASUKE!" Naruto cried out in anguish, the world slowing down around him as he watched the raven's body be released to the concrete floor. He struggled and fretted, heart heavy and vision blurred from the waterworks. This wasn't happening. He'd told himself this wasn't going to happen.

And yet it here it was.

He was losing them all again in ways he couldn't see and wasn't meant to.

Death was the only promise.

"Naruto," Shikamaru whispered up to the destroyed teen while the mentors were busy complaining, smiling through the pain as he lay on his side. He understood the weight of all this suffering now. When distraught azure looked his way, he said, "It's going to hurt for a while, but I promise you, we're going to get through this together."

Naruto became motionless at that, breathing in shock. "Shika-"

"You can't do anything. You must not do anything. No matter what happens!"

"I have to!" Naruto didn't want to lose anyone else. He didn't believe he could cope anymore as it is. He hated every single last one of their mentors and the moment he gets his chance he's going to make them wish for mercy. Seeing his clever comrade's sudden half smile, made his wraith wither some as if they could see it burning inside him.

"No you don't."

"Shika?!" He jerked against Kakashi more when his comrade started to get up. "Don't! Please don't leave me!"

That little outburst caught the feuding mentors attention.

"-and while you're at it, Ochi, find me a fucking rag or give me your jacket!"

"Jiraiya, get over yourself and look. I think Moriku is volunteering." Obito smirked and pointed with his cane to the student limping towards them. That smirk dwindled when it was returned. "Hm."

"Well aren't you a trooper!" Jiraiya wiped at his face, walking to meet him halfway, smearing red all over and cringing from it. "Dammit! Thank you for at least making my job easier!"

"Whatever you say, old rat." Shikamaru put on a blank face again. When he was pulled by his elbow hard for that comment, he winced, laughing inside anyway. It might have been insanity or he was at true peace from his eureka moment. Either or, he had a vow to keep before he left. As he was pulled along, he noticed his mentor approaching and how they put the knife away into a strap in their coat pocket. He set his plan in motion then.

Jiraiya thought it was going smoothly till they got to the altar. Out of nowhere, Shika started to resist. It got to a point where he was headbutted in the mouth by the student jerking back against him. "FUCK-!"

Obito chuckled, watching the whole ordeal. "Orochimaru, help him please."

"Why don't you get your bossy ass over here and help?!" Jiraiya gritted through bleeding teeth, accepting the ordered help regardless.

"Because I want myself to be the last thing Moriku sees always ahead of him." Obito grinned, leaning down to be on eye level as the defiant student was pressed over the table. "Just like Ishida."

Shikamaru stopped moving, having achieved his goal a while ago but was waiting for the right moment to stop fighting. That last comment by the thought clever mentor was perfect.

"Awww, he's still heartbroken." Orochimaru used his bloody hand to caress his favorites paling face, smiling at how they strained away. "You don't have long, mon amour. Don't fight it."

"To hell with that! Look!" Jiraiya gestured around them. "NOTHING IS FUCKING HAPPENING!"

"Then bring Naruto over!"

"And what if he doesn't work, huh?!"

Obito's right brow twitched. "What if he does, Jiraiya?"

Kakashi knew he couldn't take them all on or delay anymore. He looked at his student and hoped for their sake that they weren't the heir. He'd die trying to protect him either way. "Alright."

"Seriously?" His compliance caught Obito off guard.

"Who cares?! Bring him over!" Jiraiya dragged Shikamaru's still body off the altar table and threw him to the side.

"Be careful with him! He's...OH! I think he bled out." Orochimaru whimpered at the motionless form of his student on the floor, shrugging afterwards. "We'll bring him back too, won't we? Possibly cuter!"

Obito didn't say anything for many reasons. One, he was watching Kakashi bring the wriggling teen over, rolling an eye at how gentle he was. Second, Moriku wasn't going to be brought back until after Ishida. That way he could watch as the redhead obeyed and served him alone every...single..day.

"Don't move so much, Menma. It'll be over soon."

Naruto refused his mentor anyway, seeing there was no way in getting through to any of them. At the altar, he looked around at his friends as he was forced over the table. More tears flowed as he closed his eyes and got ready for the angry voices.

Uproar, accusations, and then why. That's how it always went.

"This is fucking bullshit!"

"This is all your fault, Kakashi!"

"Why can't we catch a break?"

"The stones were never going to work because the true heir is already dead!" Naruto mumbled out, opening his eyes slowly. "You've all wasted your miserable lives for nothing!"

Obito pulled out his gun on instinct and aimed it at the not so blond. He then looked down the barrel of the one suddenly aimed his way. He stared to the brave sap holding it, twitching a smile. "Kakashi, honestly again?"

"It's over, Obito. Move o-" A gunshot put a stop to his to words.

Jiraiya flinched, sprinkled with blood again from his brother beside him this time that had a bullet rip through their throat. "K-KAKASHI?!"

Kakashi staggered, dropping his gun and falling back to the ground, gurgling and gagging on his own blood, face in shock.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Orochimaru cried out, running to his brother's side, attempting to stop the bleeding.

"Did you guys really believe I was going to let him go anyway? After all he-" Obito laughed abruptly, losing what small penny of sanity he likely never had. "IS NO ONE FUCKING LISTENING TO ME?! DO I HAVE TO BE BLUNT ALL THE DAMN TIME?!"

"You're fucking insane!" Orochimaru actually sniffled, unable to save his brother. With damper hands, he closed a wide eye and caressed their face before kissing their forehead. "Rest in peace, mi hermano."

"He was not our brother so don't hermano him!"

"Yes he was, Obito! Sure he was emotional but aren't we all in our own way?!"

"Not me." Obito lowered his gun and quirked a brow when Jiraiya simply started to walk away. "And where are you going?!"

"I'm done! I am fucking done with this fairy-tale bullshit we've wasted years of our life chasing! And You! You're so fucking crazy that you think you're sane in all of this!"

"Is that how you've always felt?"

"YES!"

"Say it to my face then."

"To hell with your ego, Obi-" Jiraiya heard the shot that claimed his tongue. He heard Orochimaru call his name next before death got in line. What he felt there at the gate was a moment dizziness and warmth pool at his chest. He touched the area, coating his fingers in his own crimson before he fell to his knees at the door, uttering a curse under his breath before he hit the ground, finding it funny in the end.

Naruto laid there without making a single move, listening in caution to everything happening behind him, and the madman causing the carnage in front of him.

"WHY?!" Orochimaru asked, terrified of his older brother who looked rather pleased and disturbed at the same time.

"Go check on him, Ochi," Obito ordered with an unsettling grin.

Orochimaru wasn't falling for it. He reached for his own gun on the inside of his jacket pocket, catching a glimpse of an empty knife strap. That moment taken for curiosity to brew, was what allowed him to get shot with a smile on his face. As that gunshot, like the rest, sent an echo throughout the tower, he fell back to the ground on his back beside Kakashi. He placed a hand over the whole in his heart and passed with his eyes on his brother next to him he was going to meet.

Naruto's ears were ringing only slightly due to how close he was to the gun being fired. That heated barrel was soon in his hair. Marveling at Obito being the last one, he uttered, "You're all alone now."

"To tell you the truth, Menma, I think I've got relatives I need to pay a visit to." Obito straightened his jacket out, somewhat bothered he'd killed the three people he'd known all his life…. He looked to his brothers, coming to regret that he….allowed such stupid people in his life to begin with! He detested them and blamed them for their own deaths. All they had to do was obey, listen, and execute. In his state of shameless denial, he didn't see his prey move. So imagine the minor astonishment on his face when he looked down and saw nothing but the altar table. He even looked over it. He wasn't afraid, not even at the raged and desperate voice behind him.

"I'm going to enjoy this…. so much!" Naruto held his teachers handgun to the back of the one man left that he could at least take all his anger out on. Though his emotions were strong, he couldn't move to pull the trigger. For out of the corner of his eye, he saw his friends bodies, and then his mentors bodies...nothing but bodies everywhere. ' _Death upon death equals…'_

"Menma? Really? Not you too." Obito sighed out of disappointment, turning around. He went a step further and pulled the barrel to his chest. He was high off adrenaline and the mayhem, mistaking undying guilt for innocence and loyalty to the cause he fought for. "I just took everyone away from you on top of the people you hated! Take your vengeance! Or are you going to stand there and die like the rest of them?!"

Naruto stared up in shock at the twisted mirror image, releasing the gun. ' _Is that what I sounded like…. what I looked like?!'_ He backed away, tripping and falling to the ground.

"Useless." Obito aimed his own gun at the not so blond who was now staring up at him like he was surprised. It confused him for a second that brought on a choke from the spontaneous pressure in his neck, causing him to spit up crimson at Naruto's feet before he dropped down to his knees. He didn't feel any pain just yet because of the hormones, but that shit started to wear off fast when he was repeatedly stabbed over and over again in the neck, making him convulse before he touched the ground, an eye wide with disbelief to the very last second.

Naruto watched the whole thing silently, moving only to catch his savior when they looked like they were about to pass out after stabbing the deranged man for seventh time. "SHIKA!"

Shikamaru winced at the shout and the tight hug. "Ah-I told you you didn't have to do anything. You never listen to me!"

"I'm sorry!" Naruto cried happily, holding his comrade close. Concern struck when he heard him laugh weakly. He backed off for a second to survey him, noticing how pale they'd gotten. "Shit! Hold on! I can patch that up and then we can..can...Shika?"

"I'm happy you don't listen to me." Shikamaru smiled, petting the teen when they started crying. "You are such a deadweight."

"You promised not to call me that!" Naruto cried, eyes shut tight. When he opened them, his comrade hadn't stopped smiling.

"I've been breaking a lot of promises," he said with a weary dip of his head down, chuckling, thinking about it all and _.

"Damn, really? How many?" Naruto joked with a chuckle of his own, not getting a response. "Shika? Shika, h-how many?" He kept asking, despite the break in his voice and the small drops of salt falling down his cheek.

At the height of his pain and grief, he didn't notice that everything around him was fading away into a vivid emerald like mist. He did hear a sad voice that sounded an awful lot like his grandmothers.

" _You will live to regret the day you kill for yourself."_

Naruto looked around, panicking and shouting, "BUT I DIDN'T! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

" _And so have learned the price for which you once took for granted above all else."_

That time the voice sounded relieved.

"S-So it's over?" Naruto sniffled, holding his comrade closer. "Can I...Can I go be with them?"

" _You're soul does not belong in this timeline, I'm afraid. They will come back while you will face your old crimes that you never paid."_

"I'm fine with that!" He smiled and laughed at himself through tears at how quick that came out. "As long as they are safe and alive. I-I'm okay!"

And just like that, Naruto began to drift away, misunderstanding once again.

* * *

~~  _ **Where It Began**_  ~~

When Naruto awoke, that alone scared the hell out of him. He sat up, heavy breathing and touching his chest…. his very toned chest. Slowly, he looked down to see his hands were fuller and he was in his bed! His knight's bed that is. At lost, he slowly slid himself out of the covers and stared at his long legs. ' _I..Why am I...Am I really?'_  He questioned himself, standing up and nearly falling back down. He walked around the room for a second in his braies (medieval trousers), overcoming the height change. ' _Holy shit I'm an adult! Wait, then does that mean that the others are-'_

The door to his room burst open and in came the redhead with a deep sense of concern. "My Master! I came as soon as I got your message! What do you plan to do?!"

' _Dammit, I'm Menma!'_ Naruto backed away immediately from the knight that got a little to close, ignoring how pleasant it was to see a 'likeness' of Gaara alive... "Whatever you're thinking, stop!"

Ishida blinked, confused. "Is this not urgent?"

"Ummm, that depends what it is?"

"The prince...prince Hiei? The kings have killed him! You told us to come here and we'd discuss what to do!"

"Oh!" Naruto caught on at last and became thrilled at the idea that he was given another chance. "That's wonderful!"

Ishida blushed, getting the wrong idea that his master had finally gotten over the prince and likely had someone else in mind to take up in marriage. He stayed on the cautious side for Menma had a habit of emotional flips. "I-I guess it is, my Master…"

"Where here!" Moriku filed into the room along with Toriumi at his side, awaiting orders. "What will you have us do? We must not waste a second!"

"Woah, woah, calm down, Shika!" Naruto emphasized with his hands.

"What did you just call me, Menma?" Moriku quirked a brow, picking up the clear offness of the knight before him. He looked the same, but mentally, something wasn't right. He got all that from his comrades childish like expressions.

Toriumi crouched and sniffed their leader. "Something's wrong with the commander. He smells different."

"What?! No, no, it's me. I can assure you, Kib-Umi! Umi is what I meant." Naruto cursed his own excitement at seeing them again.

"Perhaps our last raid with that witch that escaped must have rustled our Master."

"Gaa- Ga- Gosh darn it! Ishida is right as always!" Naruto took note of that comment about the witch, leading him to see the curse was broken. Excited, he patted the blushing man on the back, quickly stopping giving the way to pleased look he got for it. "O-Okay, so here's the plan, we do nothing to the kings! Then, we try and fix all of our mistakes that we've made an-"

"Mistakes? We've made no mistakes!" Shikamaru interrupted, insulted somewhat. "You're our leader, Menma. If something was wrong, you would of told us then!"

"That's just it, Shika-I mean, Moriku! That's why you should be the leader!" Naruto realized at that point that he was not approaching this in the appropriate fashion given the stunned looks all of them gave him.

"What in our holy father did I just hear?" Moriku thought he was looking at a completely different person entirely.

"The witch! She must have cast a spell on his mind!" Toriumi sniffed him again. "But..but I can't smell anything!"

Ishida pulled out his daggers."He may not be bewitched, but he his not our Master!"

Naruto froze when the blade was put to his throat. "I-I-"

"Speak, impostor!" The redhead pressed the dagger closer. "Or lose your tongue!"

"I...I cannot lie to you guys anymore." Naruto knew the only way to fix this was to end all the wrong he'd committed. He had to face his crimes. "The kings deal in witchcraft-"

"Blasphemy!" Ishida shouted, drawing a spot of blood out of a tan neck.

"I'm not lying! I can prove it! The temple! Take Umi there and see if he doesn't get sick like he did last time!"

"Last time? We're not allowed at the temple yet, Menma. It is a sacred place for worship of the holy father and-"

"Why do you think we're not worthy there, Moriku? You're smart, man. Think about it!" Naruto gulped, wincing from feeling the blade more. At least he could see his comrade was considering possible treason from the royal house.

"We...We are not allowed because of the sinners blood that we are drenched in!"

"Exactly, Moriku! That is why we wear armor." Ishida stated proudly, ready to dispatch of the impostor. "We can't help that a little bit slips in every now and then."

"Not all of us…" Moriku looked to Menma specifically. "Not all the time."

"W-Well that's because of circumstances our Master had to overcome! Just like Umi!"

"You're missing the point, Ishida."

"What point is that, Moriku?!" Ishida demanded he spit it out, aggravated.

"We wear our armor tightly so the sinners blood does not touch us." Moriku began to understand his own suspicions that he'd been afraid to speak of for some time. "We do this so that we may one day be allowed in the temple to praise our father. Menma, he...he has never taken such care. Why do you think that is?"

"Well! B-Because he.. Our Master does that because he- I.." Ishida fought himself for an excuse. "He drenched himself in the s-sinners blood so…. w-we wouldn't have to like I said before!"

"Ishida?!"

"What?! That's it! Our Master is just, and brave, and he would never keep us in the dark about something as treacherous as our kings dwelling in the devil's bible!"

"I would, Ishida!" Naruto pleaded with his eyes, becoming brave enough to touch the redheads wrist and lower the blade down. "I have lied about so many things!"

Ishida's pulse quickened, knowing deep down he was one of the lies giving how his Master was looking at him so regretfully. "You wouldn't hurt us like that!"

"I did! I-I mean I have." Naruto downcast, seeing Toriumi avoid his gaze and hide behind Moriku. "I'm so, so, sorry guys!"

That word alone made Ishida leave the room immediately in disbelief. Their master never apologized.

Moriku on the other hand, was intrigued. "Who are you? Are you really, Menma?"

"Yes, Moriku! No matter what name anyone calls me, in the end, I see, I am Menma." Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head nervously. "I kind of like being called Naruto more."

"Nar-ruh-to?" It would take some getting use to, but Moriku could come to like this new version of his comrade if he lived long. "I see... Where'd you come up with that name?"

"It's a long story." Naruto grinned, happy to catch Kiba's likeness finally peeking around in curiosity. "I'd be happy to tell you guys about it!"

A brief summary would have to do later because Ishida had come back with company. He brought the royal guards, plus Menma's favorite lieutenant. "Arrest this man and bring him before our Kings!"

"Why, Ishida? Is it because he's not all over you today? You should forgive him! Prince Hiei has been killed for the better of the kingdom. Let the man grieve." The familiar lieutenant teased, stepping up to his commander who looked at him in complete shock. "Evening, Sir! I suppose our last raid and the prince's death might have misplaced some feathers."

"NEJI!" Naruto embraced the stunned man. "Wow! You're my lieutenant? That's awesome and kind of disappointing but only if you're a dick in this life." He laughed, patting his shocked comrade on the back before letting them go. "You look like you're a good guy though so I guess our past life was a fluke, huh?"

-10 Minutes later -

They escorted Naruto out of the knights quarters and into the streets on the way to the castle in his trousers, shackled at his hands and feet. They gave him no shoes and no shirt. The sun beat down on his back and the gravel on the ground played hot rocks with his feet. It was all the more embarrassing because of the commoners and travelers walking about, whispering. He grumbled curses ahead at his supposed Lieutenant that had given the order to put him in this situation. "Nice to know you're still a dick, Neji." He retracted that statement when he saw how hurt they looked from that turn back at him.

"My name is Ijen! I'm sorry if I don't appeal to you, spy! I don't think you're aware that you embody a person whom I've served for years. You take on a likeness of a friend. My comrade. My Master. You insult his name by taking his image, so I will see to the bottom of it." He nodded to the guards to pick up the pace behind him.

"Shit!" Naruto groaned when he was pulled along roughly. ' _Ijen is just Neji spelled backwards!'_ He kept that comment to himself, seeing it would do no good. Sighing in defeat, he glanced to his left at Shikamaru's likeness whom was chuckling. "You having a ball over there?"

"Ah, yes, um, Naro-to. I am. They will soon have your head if you don't come up with a way to prove to them you are my comrade."

"It's Nah-ru-to! You got it right the first tim-Wait!" Naruto leaned over, having realized what the knight had just said so quietly. He then whispered back, "So you believe me?!"

"To be honest, I'm quite 50/50. I was thinking of executing you myself back there to spare you from the guillotine or worst. You deserve a merciful end."

Naruto gawked. "Wow! You guys really don't change much!"

A switch was flipped and a light bulb turned on in the not so blond's head though it was a sad little light. "You guys don't change much!"

He scared the guards, knights, and commoners that passed by.

"What in the name of our lord?!" The Lieutenant spun around to see the prisoner oddly quiet and smiling big. "Have you lost your mind?!"

"Nope! I look forward to seeing our kings is all!"

"Do you now? What for?"

Naruto shrugged, smiling bravely. "If they're how I think they'll be, I won't be able to convince them who I am or what I've seen. The end result though, will be how it was always meant to be. I can't do anything about that but accept it."

"Weak," Ishida hissed out, passing by him with a tight snarl, "Your death sentence will be swift!"


	39. The Past

Naruto smiled at the back of red danger, knowing he was doing this for everyone. He took in a deep breath and started calling out to the people that walked by. "Hey! Hey, yeah, you! Young sir, if I ever hurt you or anyone you loved, I'm sorry! You too! Tell everyone!"

"W-Why should we believe you?" A man shielded his wife from the dangerous knight's view, distraught by the random, impossible words spouting from there once tormentor.

"Don't listen to this impostor, civilian! Carry on about your business!" Ijen ordered, pointing to the chains for his men to pull harder.

Naruto grunted and put the discomfort to the side in order to preach his wrongdoing to everyone around him, "You don't have to believe me! I know you all hate me with every fiber of your being! I know what I've done can never be undone! I am apologizing anyway! I'm am so, so sorry! I should of been protecting you all instead of taking everything from you. I know how that feels now! The kings have killed prince Hiei and I've never felt mor-!"

"SHUT HIM UP!" Lieutenant Ijen pulled out his sword and aimed it at the loudmouth who just released private information that wasn't supposed to be revealed till a later time for less effect.

"Gladly!" Ishida moved forward with a gag to help the guards get the prisoner under control.

Moriku stepped aside with Toriumi, both impressed by their comrades outburst, for it worked.

The people were in distressed awe at the news.

"Prince Hiei is dead?!"

"He was the only kind one!"

"Why did they kill him?"

"Are they going to kill the knight because of this?"

Naruto heard their voices and so fought back the restraints to shout, "They are! So, if you all really hate me- Ah! Come watch my execution! I'm sure a lot of you will make a holiday out of it!" The moment the redhead came over, he was kneed in the stomach and forced to the ground where his mouth was tied with a bit gag.

"There! Should he try to remove it, call upon me." Ishida then forced the prisoner back up on his feet and gripped his jaw to make him look at him. "As for you, cause another scene out here and it'll be your last."

Naruto grunted, glaring back at the redhead. ' _Why is he, above everyone else, so awful?!'_  That was a mystery to be solved pretty soon. Till then, he could only ask why in his head. He exhaled, pulled along as usual. He saw Moriku and Toriumi smiling at him when he decided to look their way. He quirked a brow at them and followed their nod to the back. What he saw was the people rallying behind at a distance, following.

The commoners outside the castle wall were only the beginning.

Word spread fast.

The moment they entered the gates to the kingdom that would soon become a ticket booth, there were people lined up along the streets. Men, women, and children of all ages came out to see the once most ruthless knight of their ages, the one who tortured them into submission for years, chained and silenced without power. It was truly a sight to behold. It left them unsure whether to celebrate or be concerned, for the news the knight had spouted was pretty alarming.

Naruto looked around at all the different faces. Some were afraid and others were curious. He received glares and very little empathy. All of which he understood. He kept his head down in regret and bore the invisible shawl of shame.

"Are you sure you're not a completely different person?" Shika's based knight asked quietly. He didn't want to anger the guards or Ishida ahead.

Naruto nodded, grinning the best he could behind the gag.

"Then what was it again, Nar-oto?"

Naruto grumbled and shook his head.

"Na-ru-no?"

' _Naruno?! Come on.'_ Naruto glared at him, finding that chuckle from him not funny either.

"Perhaps we should wait."

' _Before or after they cut my head off?'_ He sighed and glanced at Toriumi who was staring at him skeptically. ' _This is not going to be as easy as I thought.'_ He focused back forward, looking around every now and then at the people, glad they weren't throwing things.

There was a moment when a cloaked, feeble looking woman fell on the road in a guards path. The officer was going to kick her for the unruly insolence, but since he was also the one holding to the prisoners chains, he got his ass yanked back to the ground instead.

To save Naruto from Ishida's wraith, Moriku took it upon himself to punish the prisoner. He kicked in the back of Naruto's leg to bring the chained knight down to a knee. Next, he grabbed dark hair roughly for extra measures and said, "I believe you just lost your last chance with me as well. Keep walking!"

Naruto groaned at shove forward again, going along with the save though it hurt like hell anyway. At least the woman he helped looked grateful despite the fact that he couldn't see her face due to her constant bowing at him. That one kind gesture went a long way. It was not enough though just yet. He had to give so much more before change would at least be considered.

They paraded him through the kingdom and up to the castle. The stairs alone nearly killed him because stone and sun don't mix well for the feet. He didn't express this discomfort because apart of was use to it. His relief came once they were inside the castle and his soles touched cooled, scarlet carpet.

Off to the side, the Lieutenant was being informed that the kings were waiting, and they were not pleased with him. He gulped and smiled nervously, nodding to the messenger that all was received. At the impostor, he forced a smile, "The kings await us in the throne room. I trust that you are ready to tell the truth now."

Naruto shrugged since he couldn't say anything, annoying Ijen purposely. He was treated poorly once more and yanked along decorated halls to the promised place. The grand doors were so huge that they were pulled open on both sides by two men each.

The light from inside nearly blinded Naruto for it came in full blast from the four stained glass windows behind each throne across the marble floors. One single, crimson and gold embroidered carpet ran thin from the foot of the small stairs to the thrones and down to the door he was marched through. He squinted his eyes till he was out of the glare and he could see the kings. Each royal was a likeness of his mentors. From left to right sat the oldest to youngest.

Obito, Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Orochimaru.

In this life, Naruto knew he couldn't call them by such names. He had to address them by their given names...names in which he did his best to try and remember. "Hey there, Kaka- Kaz- Kazu- Kazuhiko! Kazuhiko!"

The third king was previously warned earlier that his knight had lost his mind and or someone was impersonating them. He believed the latter. "Who are you? Are you a spy?"

"What?! No, I'm not a spy! I'm your student!"

"You mean... my knight?"

"That!" Naruto mentally slapped himself up for getting flustered. It was extremely difficult to cope with seeing the live faces of his friends and even his mentors like nothing had happened. "I-I'm your Knight! I'm Menma!"

"Prove it. Release him." Kazuhiko waved to the guards to do such, hating seeing a loved one withheld like that. "Bring forth his claymore as well."

"My claymore? What is that like a-"

Moriku coughed loud next to his comrade to save him from further digging a hole that day. "Erhm! Forgive me, My Lords. I've been under the weather ever since we cleared the traitors from the Sanin Village. I believe Menma might be suffering the same."

Naruto went along without question and to damn excitedly. "Right! Right, I'm not feeling well. Uhh, we killed to many witches."

Moriku whispered quickly with a hand over his mouth, "We killed no witches."

"We killed no witches!" Naruto said the correction aloud, making the guards that unchained him, flinch and hurry. When his hands were free, he moved them around to shake off the numbness, winking at Shikamaru's likeness as a thanks for the help. He was to deep in his anxiousness.

Moriku rolled his eyes at the nervous idiot. ' _If he doesn't calm the hell down…'_

"So you vouch for him, My Knight?"

"With my life, King Kujira." Moriku bowed in a sly way to show his comrade what he should do in case he's addressed next time. The not so blond, did not even register that nonverbal assistance.

' _Kujira? Orochimaru?'_ Naruto looked to the king respected with short black hair slicked on down. ' _He looks weird…-er.'_

"And to I?" The second king, whose long white lock came over his shoulder in spikes, was the only king wearing samurai like armor while the others decked themselves in fancy robes. He was also the only one with masked female assassins at either side. One with long pink hair and the other with lengthy purple.

"To you as well, King Toru." Moriku stayed bowed. "And, King Wataru. And my Master's King, Kazuhiko. To you all, I promise with my life, this is my comrade, Menma."

' _Shika…'_  Naruto smiled, tearing up. He quickly wiped it away when the clever man gave him a look to cut that shit out.

"What say my lovely knight?" Obito's royal self, King Wataru, addressed his redhead with a hand out to them.

Ishida approached with well trained manipulation for he knew how the first king felt about him. He placed his elegant, and chain-mail gloved hand in his kings own in a peculiar way that Naruto wasn't the only one to catch. He smiled seductively at the royal who ate it up and pulled him beside him at the throne. "I, My King, do not vouch for this deceiver. He insults everything I stand for."

"He insults you, my dear?"

Ishida nodded slowly as if it pained him.

Naruto whispered to Moriku out of the corner of his mouth, "My version of Ishida is not this damn manipulative and crazy!"

"Really?" Moriku sounded more than interested. "What is he like...?"

"He's extremely kind, loving, caring, and totally into you. I didn't see why at first but...Hey! You listening? Shika?"

The clever knight had zoned out the moment his comrade had said the redhead fancied him. It seemed so illogical and all the more a heaven to him. "Is that my name in your vision? That's the name he calls?"

"Damn you've got it bad for him." Naruto shook his head, looking up to see Ishida was working up the first king like no tomorrow. "It's not a vision either! I've lived many lives and the last one, that's my favorite. He's not like this there... His name is Gaara, and yours is Shikamaru. You guys were great!... Why the hell is half of everyone so different and the others not that different at all?!"

"I suppose it depends if there was something wrong with them to begin with, Commander." Toriumi was previously listening the whole time, finding Moriku's trust to be validating. He took up a spot to the left of his different comrade. "Should there be no change, that is who they are inside."

"Huh, I guess there was nothing wrong with you two then." Naruto simpered to both of them. "As for Ishida, I've never been more happy to see a better half of someone."

"Speak for yourself." Moriku elbowed him, smirking. "I'm guessing you're like this because of the witch that escaped."

"You got it."

"That explains why you stank on the way back here." Toriumi wrinkled his nose, happy to not be smelling such a thing now.

"That probably would have been nice to know, Umi." Naruto didn't sound mad at all. If anything, he was being sarcastic and playful. The pupper man got down on his knees and began bowing for forgiveness anyway.

"I am sorry, Commander!"

"Umi! Umi, stop! You're drawing attention!" Naruto gritted out and tried to shake him off when his leg was hugged and nuzzled.

Moriku bit back a snicker, liking his new leader's personality a lot more.

Lieutenant Ijen was foiled himself by an uncontrollable chortle that escaped, stifling the noise quickly to look stern and hold his drilled stance.

"-and he doesn't respect the throne room, My King." Ishida held the kings hand still, not helping the situation by filling the royal's ears with more lies.

"You don't respect yourself!" Naruto shocked the place to silence with that outburst. He couldn't rid Kiba's likeness off his leg, and watching the redhead be a traitor, was not helping. "The Ishida I know would never be this selfish! "

"Menma, perhaps it would serve you best to not rile the-"

"Why not?! I'm leader, right? So where is my clay-mation?!" Naruto thought if he showed some bravado, he could move things along faster.

"Claymore!" Moriku grumbled, face palming.

"Claymore! Where is my claymore?!"

"It is coming, Menma, or, whoever you are." The third king of Kakashi's likeness was intrigued to say the least. "I must say, I find your lack of passion and rage for prince Hiei's death rather peculiar. You asked for his hand recently and when I denied you, you weren't this...docile."

Naruto's high spirits sank and unknowingly helped him. "How could I forget.. I will always love him... I'm pretty sure now that if I had confessed that to him more openly like I did many times before, I would not be here... I could never let go...It was by luck I was able to hold myself this time. His death, the lives of my friends, and others, is why I'm here in the end. I'm atoning for my actions!"

"Am I the only one amused at how he speaks as if he's lived other lives though he stands here before us," King Toru mocked with Jiraiya's jokefull nature, "What drunken stupor is this? I'd like a bottle!"

"I'm not drunk!" Naruto shouted, enraged and sorrowful at how dense the kings were in this life and the others.

A horn blew, calling their undivided attention to the doors where a messenger came running in, out of breath. "M-My Kings! The people have gathered outside! They demand answers and to see the- the knight be executed!"

The first king didn't look to pleased about this at all. This was a good chance to demonstrate their power in finding spies and what should happen if someone got out of hand. He so said in an authority like tone, "They will wait for answers. As for the knight, who we are not sure is, they may watch his possible death. If they can't agree to those terms, then they get nothing."

The messenger bowed repeatedly before leaving.

Naruto grinned proudly at how all the kings gave him death glares. He wanted to taunt them more, but the people were filling in so they all had to move and make room. The viewing people stretched all the way back out the door and down the hall. There was a small space left for the prisoner to stand with his friends and guards as the guillotine was put on the opposite side, giving the kings the most room of all.

All the bustling voices were silenced by another horn blowing. This time it signaled the arrival of two blacksmiths toting the giant sword as if it were sacred. The people parted like the sea to allow the men to pass.

"Presenting Master Menma's choice of weapon, The Claymore!" The man that blew the horn, announced everything and blew it again as the blacksmiths knelt and held up the impressive weapon to Naruto's mid-line.

Naruto thought all of that was extremely unnecessary. Given the look Moriku was displaying, he'd better not say anything about it. Sighing, he gazed over the sword. The craftsmen started to tremble in typical fashion out of fear that he was displeased. This whole everyone being afraid of him thing, proved taxing. Now that he had an audience, he might as well give them a show. He knew damn well that he was not ready to pick up that big mother of a weapon though. Thankfully, his friends were there to verbally assist him.

"Is it not impressive, Menma? It's sharpened to your likeness everyday so you can smite the unjust in one blow with one hand," Moriku hinted casually.

"Oooohhh! It always looked to top heavy to me, Commander." Toriumi assisted, freeing himself from his commander's leg. "You're balance was always impressive!"

' _Ah, so that's what this test is! One hand it! Top heavy so I need to balance myself...in chains.'_ He looked down at his feet and then over to the guards who didn't budge. They did gulp at his gaze. "Hello? Can I have my legs to do this?"

"You may, my knight."

Naruto breathed out in relief until what the third king said next.

"But, Moriku and Umi will come here and stand by their respected king's side."

' _Dammit!'_ He figured they'd be caught eventually, but he was hoping it would be much further down the line. His friends left him with a hopeful glance his way. It made him more than confident as his ankles were freed. He shook off the nervousness and got ready. He gripped the handle and lifted, surprised with how light it was. He began to wonder if it was a fake. "Wow! Is this really my weapon?!"

The blacksmiths of course became terrified and started rambling for their lives.

"It is, Master Menma!"

"We would never tamper with your steel, Sir Knight!"

"We care for it day and night an-"

"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down! I'm not that serious." Naruto smiled at them, jamming the sword into the marble floor, loving his pure strength for a second and wave of awes it created from the people. He helped each man off their knees.

Those gestures stunned every single person in that crowded space.

"This isn't natural..." Kazuhiko watched his once ruthless knight, thank the blacksmiths for their hard work and send them away. "He can't be Menma!"

"He is not my Master." Ishida stepped closer, coming to a cross legged sitting position on the armrest of his kings throne. "I say you all have his head. Maybe then his true face will show!"

"Why?! Because you don't like it?" Naruto could hear them loud and clear, aware he was meant to. He grabbed the handle of his sword and pushed the point further into the ground, scaring the lot and sending a crack along the floor that went right up to the thrones. "You know being nice never hurt anyone. Hell, why should I bother telling any of you kings that? Some of you guys killed your nephew a few hours ago last night! For one of you, that was possibly your son! No wonder none of your wives or children are in here! You all want to know why I did half the shit I did? Here are all four assholes plus one being me!"

Shikamaru's based knight looked around at the faces attending his comrade's every word, giving nothing but silence in return. ' _I hope that's a good thing...'_

"Why is this place so messed up? It used to be a proud kingdom where noble blood lived! A place so righteous that they saved the lady of the lake herself from eternal silence! That's right! I know about her! I'm remembering something! Like how you guys asked her for her advice, and you did nothing with it! I'm guilty of it too! Five times or four give or take!" Naruto's grip on the white handle tightened, emotions overflowing. "You guys got one and you fucked it up and can't go back. Oh well! It took me a long ass time to figure it out and it'll probably take you bastards a millennium! Let me tell you, centuries of that shit is why I'm willing to look crazy in front of all of you!"

He faced around to the people he once tormented, addressing them,"I now know what internal regret is! I've hurt every person in this room and I apologize! I'm so sorry I didn't do anything when I had the chance. I'm sorry I couldn't save prince Hiei! I'm sorry I let my comrades follow an unrighteous path! I'm sorry it took me this long to set things right! Most of all, I'm sorry that you kings seriously think you're above everyone when you were beneath them the whole time." Naruto pointed at the first king and said with affirmation, "Especially you, Wata-whatever!"

The first king, with a deathly unwavering stare, said, "Bring me his head."

"Example fucking A!" Naruto was then seized and dragged to the guillotine. "That was quick, shit... Hey, Moriku! A word?"

Moriku nodded, turning to his king. "May I say my farewells?"

"You may, my knight."

Moriku bowed before walking on down to his comrade that was being put in place. He knelt down to their level after the knight was locked in and left there surprisingly clam. "You are aware you are about to die, um, Naruto?"

Naruto shrugged the best he could, smiling. "Rather now or later."

"So you really did know…" Moriku frowned, keeping his voice down and leaning near his friend more. "You don't have to give up this easily! Maybe...Maybe we can figure out a way to-"

"Hey, no one wants to die, Moriku, but sometimes people die to save others. In their sacrifice, there is life, solace, and forgiveness."

The wink his soon to die comrade added, threw Moriku for a loop. "Then all that just now was the truth? You're sacrificing yourself for it?"

"Not for it, for everyone. When I die, you lead. I highly doubt anyone's going to forget what I said. They tend to hold a grudge for a long time."

Moriku nodded with a frown and said, "I suppose it's farewell then... Till we meet again."

"Oh we will, hopefully. I don't care if I remember or not." Naruto half smiled, waving at Toriumi that came down to say goodbye as well. "You take care, Kibbles."

"Kibbles?" Toriumi cocked his head to the side. "Is that my name in the new life? It sounds insulting."

Naruto laughed, finding it precious. "You keep thinking like that."

"May I have a word?" The cloaked woman from the crowd had come forth with a hand raised and head down. She was allowed her wish as soon as the other knights left. Her approach was slow and weak. Her movements when before him were fast and nimble. She got down on her knees and looked into the Naruto's face, seeing innocence and repentance. "I'm so proud of you, Menma."

Naruto recognized that voice up close, beaming inside. "Grandm-!"

"Sshh!" She placed her fingers over his lips. "We have an audience."

Naruto nodded eagerly, calming down. "I'm happy your alive!" he said quietly with honesty.

"You don't know the witch that cursed you, do you?" She asked in a whisper against his ear.

Naruto shook his head.

"You've got one more minute, woman," King Wataru warned, ready to have the impostors head on a pike for all to see.

Tsunade rolled her eyes and then kissed the knight on the forehead. "I hope you can come to forgive me then. Even I must admit that I didn't curse you to save you... Rather, I did it because at that time you were an awful person with no hope of change in your eyes."

"Oh trust me, I know. It took some time. I thank you anyway." Naruto displayed gratitude, reassuring her that she didn't need to be forgiven because he held no spite her way. He smiled softly when she hugged him dearly.

"I look forward to seeing the better you more, Menma!"

"A good head start would be calling me Naruto in case you want to name your grandson one day!"

"Naruto?"

"Move the old hag!" By order of the first King resembling Obito to every letter, she was ushered out of the way. A basket replaced her presence at the ground beneath the prisoner's head. That same king then raised his hand to match the will put on the rope to rise, ignoring his emotional kin's sudden outreach for him stop.

"Brother, wait!" He wasn't mentally sure if that was his knight. His heart screamed otherwise. Surely there was a way they could test him...save him. "He might be-"

"It doesn't matter what he is! He's disgraced our family. Your knight dies!"

Naruto took in a deep breath and got ready. ' _This will be the fourth time I've lost my head? No, fifth...No, no, maybe just the third. El Tiburon doesn't count. Shark toothed bastard… Wait...Kisame! That mother fu_!'_

_**SHINK!** _


	40. What It Is Now?

_**~ Let's do this one more time: Welcome To Present Day ~** _

A 17 year old Naruto didn't wake up in fright or spite. He didn't feel fear, lost, hate, dread, or agonizing pain from constant failure. He didn't worry about missions or people being murdered all around him. Losing the love of his life without them ever knowing how he truly felt, was no longer an agony he'd have to suffer.

The curse was broken.

Now all that was, was as it should have been.

In his present life, Naruto was...

...sleepy.

You see, he'd stayed up all night playing video games, texting, and watching movies like an average teenage boy without a care in the world, shirking typical responsibilities. His bed sheets entrapped him haphazardly, exposing pale purple boxers partly out to the world. His bright blond hair was a mess, but it was his. An orange encased cell phone started to sound the alarm again that he'd received a text. That ringtone was in the form of a song. Specifically, this song by  _Whitney Houston_.

" _AND IIIIIIIIIIII-EEE-IIIIIII WILL ALWAYS...LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUU!"_

The shrieking finally scared him awake. He jerked and fell out of his bed, grunting and fumbling to get untied so he could check his phone. He did have one hand free, so he reached out and padded on the nightstand till he grabbed the cell and brought it down to the floor with him. He blinked away the sleepiness and peered at his phone without unlocking it, reading the text message from his boyfriend.

 **[ Sasuke:** _Did you still want to have breakfast with me or…_ **] Time: 33 minutes ago.**

He looked up at his fox themed alarm clock that read 8:03. So not only did he miss breakfast with the boyfriend of his dreams and forgotten past, he was also late for school. Since he was tardy, someone else was too.

"This can't be happening!" He wrestled harder and freed himself. He crawled over to his dresser drawer for clothes, rummaging through it for anything to wear. He grabbed a pair of jeans and a plain gray shirt, no jacket. He slipped all of that on quick. He then scooped up his dirty converses and book-bag, hopping out of his room as he put on his shoes and fought to keep his book-bag from slipping off his shoulder. ' _This is the worst day of my life!'_

He didn't know things could be so..so..so much worse.

That was the knights reward for breaking his curse and giving his life for his sins.

A better future to look upon.

His true soul he always had.

"Gaara! Gaara! We're late! Please tell me you're up!" Naruto crashed against the door to his adopted younger brother's room, tripping from loss of balance."Halp!"

The door opened and he fell in, wincing up at joyous, young and sleepy emerald.

"Brother? You're alarm didn't go off, did it?" Gaara rubbed an eye, standing their in his panda pj's at the age of thirteen. "Or did you reset it again by accident trying to charge your phone?"

"I-I don't think that is important right now!" Naruto heaved himself up and hustled into the kid's room, going straight to their dresser drawer. He went through his brother's clothes and picked him out something quick to put on. "I'm late for class! I missed my date! I didn't do my homework and I'm starving!"

"Mmm, that's not new." Gaara yawned and accepted the clothes he was given. He thought he would get to take a bath beforehand. Nope! He was forced to get dressed right then. All he was able to grab from his room himself was his bag before he was pulled out and down the hall covered with pictures of them from the day he was saved at the fair, to the day he became apart of their family.

In the fancy dining room on a nice mahogany dinner table, sat four meals and car keys.

"Okay, okay so they pre-made us both breakfast and lunch! Sweet! Here, Gaara!"

Gaara accepted his plastic container with breakfast in it and a red lunch bag. Adorably half awake, he tried to sit at the table to eat.

Denied!

He was pulled again out the door into a bright sunny sky all the way to the garage.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Naruto searched himself by the car, swearing and looking for the car keys.

"Here." He mewled again tiredly and held up the keys to his brother who always forgot to grab them off the table.

"Thanks!" The oldest took them and unlocked the door, tossing his seemingly empty bag in the back not to soon afterwards. He waited for his little brother to get in the car, and buckle up before he started. "Ready?"

Gaara nodded, half awake, safely seated.

The car didn't start though.

Curious emerald then looked to the driver who was staring at him. "What?"

"Why are you wearing a coat?"

"You gave me the coat?"

"Well I take it back! It's hot out here! You'll get sick quicker in heat!" Naruto unbuckled his seat belt to help him, tossing the despised ruby jacket to the back. "There! Buckle up."

Gaara snickered to himself and followed the order. "Ready!"

Then off they went. The choice of vehicle the boys rode in was a red SUV. It was clean, bullethole-less, and only achieving a few speed tickets on record. As the car rounded a corner from their one story house, Naruto had a question. "Gaara, does today feel off to you?"

"To be honest, I woke up with a weird sickness in my stomach. I assumed I ate too much of what dad made last night." Gaara mumbled, patting his tummy for being troublesome.

"Ahhhh, you liked that healthy mess?! What was it supposed to be?"

The ginger quirked his head to side, amused, and said, "I think he called it a salad, Naruto."

"All of that green was a salad?!

"I'm pretty sure it was..."

"If you say. Thank god he's not on dinner tonight." Naruto let out a sigh in relief, casually sending a quick apology text on his cell.

 **[ Naruto:** _HEY!_   _I am sooooooo going to make up for this morning! I overslept big time! Can we please do lunch? T_T Love youuuuuu a million times over x-hearts-x_ **] Time: 8:12 a.m.**

"-be home tonight."

Naruto looked up, missing almost all of whatever was said and surprisingly not driving off the road. "What?"

"I said they went in early this morning so they should be home tonight. Who are you texting? You know it's not safe to do that and drive!" Gaara pouted, worried for his brother's bad habit. "Don't you see him everyday anyway?"

"For four years and 5 months now, yeah."

"I didn't ask all tha- WATCH THE ROAD!" Tiny Gaara screamed, hands on the dashboard as the car swerved from nearly hitting a cat. After that near horrible accident, he moderately looked to the driver who lowered that phone down.

"Perhaps I should text him later."

"You think?!"

Naruto chuckled at the redhead, slipping his phone in his pocket so he could pet his young relative. "Observant! How would I make it in the morning without you?"

"You wouldn't! You'd be in jail by now for hitting someone! Or their pet!"

"Fair enough."

"That fact that you know this bothers me, Naruto."

"Gaara, are you mad at me too?" At a red-light, Naruto poked the thirteen year old in the cheek repeatedly. "Huh? Huh? Huh? Are you? Are you? Are yo-"

Gaara puffed his face, mad, head tilting to the side the more he was bothered until he couldn't take it anymore. "STOP IT!"

Naruto burst out laughing at the voice crack he was aiming to hear. "I love you so much!"

"Lies!" He crossed his arms, turning away, ignoring the arm around him, pulling him over. "Now you're trying to choke me to death!"

That voice.

Naruto smiled and chuckled, covering the kid's eyes playfully, saying, "How about we go out for a candy apple after school?"

Gaara calmed down, turning his head in tan hands. "Are you trying to bribe me because you not only technically hit me repeatedly, but you also endangered my life by being on your phone?"

"Uhhh, yes?"

"I accept your offer if Shikamaru can come too!"

Naruto groaned, releasing his brother. He hated that smart alack, wanna be bad boy with a passion. It was obvious that his little brother's friend had hit puberty and was therefore very aware of what they liked. He wasn't cool with that in the least! Especially the annoying nickname the kid took to calling him. "Why him, Gaara? He's such a smart ass and a master criminal in the making!"

"No he's not! He's nice and smart...and funny and crazy and cute an-"

"He's what?!" Naruto hit the breaks, ignoring the honking cars behind him.

Gaara sucked in his lips and looked away out the window like he hadn't said a single word. He forgot he wasn't aloud to date until he was sixty five years old.

"Gaara, I will end him. Do you understand?"

"Mhm!" The redhead nodded, smiling the best he could.

"We are in an agreement then that he's a delinquent and will never, ever, ever go out with you. Awesome. Great deal." Naruto started the car back up, proud of himself. If you thought he was intense, his mother was so much worse when it came to the redhead baby. Due to the kid's previous family that they weren't sure of, they were all very protective of him since he didn't talk about his experience at all.

Gaara went through very minor traumatizing things. It was nothing daily therapy during school wasn't fixing fairly easily. He was a happy child now. With only the fear of disappointing his new family bothering him. "Do I really have to wait till I'm old and bitter?"

"You're pushing eighty the more you ask."

' _At least Shika said he'd wait a lifetime for me.'_ Gaara laughed, thinking about how ridiculous his older friend by a year talked and acted.

Naruto arrived at his brother's middle school that was right across from the high school he himself went to. While pulling into the drop off zone, he saw his little brother hid small mirthful noises. "What are you giggling about?! I swear if you're thinking about him-"

"I'm not!"

"Promise?"

"...To late! Gotta go! Love you!" Gaara quickly hustled out of the car, skipping closing the door and ignoring his brother calling him.

"Gaara! Gaara! God dammit! Love you too!" Naruto gave up, mumbling another curse. He did make sure his little brother made it into the building before he reached over and shut the side door. He thought about skipping class to go give Shikamaru a death threat… He sided against it to plan for something else. He pulled into the high school and parked in the student parking lot. From there, he hauled ass to class because he was now super late. He did check his phone and came to find that his older boyfriend by a year was mad at him because there was no reply during that whole time. He didn't feel hungry anymore as a result. He started to slow and slump through the empty halls to the first class of the day, history. That was the class in which he was missing his homework. He had one simple assignment. Recite a lengthy piece of literature from memory consisting of the period they were currently studying. He had googled something on his phone that caught his eye only because both of his names were in it and his family actually had a joke about it. He took out his cell, unlocked, and went to the saved page, quickly trying to memorize it. In doing so, he walked right into the classroom door, hearing chortles from his classmates on the other side.

Embarrassed already, he opened the door after quickly putting his cell away, forgetting to do one key thing.

"Uzumaki! I'm glad you could join us so late again." The silver haired teacher with the eye patch and wedding ring, called out to the student on their usual habit. "Whenever you're done making an entrance again, please take your seat so we can get the lesson started."

Naruto did as told, putting off the judging face he got from his teacher. He had one person on his mind, and that person was busy shutting him out and talking to the leader of the fence team. "Dammit."

"What are you upset about, blondy?" Kiba asked in a seat beside him, tossing a baseball around in his hands with his cleats propped up on the desk. He'd become the blond's second best friend the moment he arrived at that school last year. Their bond was more than natural like his athletic talent.

"I ruined my breakfast date with Sasuke." Naruto whispered, dropping down in his seat with a groan and then hitting his head on the desk dramatically. "I forgot my homework too, Kibbles. "

"That's not my damn name! Also, I told you to go to bed."

"I couldn't! I was too excited! I-I-"

Kiba cut him off to tell the truth. "You played games all night and texted me!"

"Because I was excited!"

"You brought this on yourself." The pupper teen snickered till he saw their teacher put that one book down. He hid his baseball away and sat up properly in the chair, nudging his friend next to him. "Class is starting!"

"My life is over!" Naruto whimpered on the desk, muffling his voice.

Kakashi heard this and decided the tardy student had earned first place. "Since you're life is ending so soon, Uzumaki, why don't you come up first and show us the brief literature you picked."

Naruto's azure eyes widened, never looking up. "Do I have to?"

"Do you want to pass my class?"

Naruto had no choice. He sluggishly made his way to the front of the class. He could hear Kiba say, 'You got this, blondy!' That gave him some hope. He straightened himself up, not sure what to do with his hands, so he left them at his sides.

"Anytime you're ready, Naruto."

"Thank you for suddenly giving me time, Sensei."

"Patience is a virtue I'm lucky to have or I wouldn't be here." Kakashi returned the sarcasm, sitting down on the corner of his own desk, holding a clipboard and pencil. He spent years earning his keep the hard way and will not take what can clearly be earned. "So, you either waste all class period in which everyone gets an F, or you present your simple assignment, or you take an F and sit down. Your choice."

Naruto knew he couldn't win. "Can I at least make an announcement?"

"Make it quick."

He nodded, moving to address one student in particular. "I-I want to apologize to my boyfriend!"

Kakashi's interest peaked. If there was one thing that didn't annoy him about his the blond, it was there honesty. "What did you do, Uzumaki?"

"I didn't meet him for our breakfast date this morning!" He was right to be nervous with everyone staring at him. "And I'm sorry! I really am. I was just really excited and...I didn't get any sleep."

Everyone's attention shifted to Sasuke for his response. The teen blushed a faint bit and hid his phone, looking off to the side. From his years of knowing this goofball, he should of expected a public scene. "If you're willing to embarrass yourself this badly then, I guess it's okay, boss."

Naruto lit up at the nickname he knew he was only called when the raven was happy with him. He jogged over to his boyfriend and gave them a quick peck on welcoming lips. This was there norm now.

"No one needed to see that. You two have dated to long to be apologizing out loud fo-Never mind. Please present, Uzumaki."

"Yes, Sensei!" Naruto headed on back to the front. "Um, I picked something from history that...It kind of has both of my names in it, so I thought it would be cool to tell everyone."

"Both of your names?"

"Mhm! My parents got my real name, Naruto, from my grandma who then got it from a story or something. Whenever I misbehave, she'd call me Menma instead because that was apparently the guy's other name when he was bad or something."

"Uhuh! What is the piece called?" Kakashi tapped his clipboard with the pencil, waiting and tickled that his student had no idea what he was referencing at all thought they'd discussed this for a week already.

"It's called,  _The Knight of Two Names_ , I believe."

"Do you know where it strings from?" He smirked inside at that oblivious, non-whiskered face.

Naruto produced a shrug and said, "Uhh, some medieval timeline, story…..or legend?"

"Are you guessing?"

"Will I be graded for it?"

Kakashi sighed, unable to fight the laugh under his breath like the rest of the class. "No, Uzumaki. Carry on."

"Cool! Okay, um, so let me get into character right quick!" Naruto's love for rhyme, stemmed from the kingdom he no longer had memory of. He thus made a fake pose as if holding a giant sword before him, pointed down, hands grasping air as if it were a handle. "Ready?"

Kakashi motioned with a hand out. "Go on."

Naruto presented with a mocking, deep, narrator voice, " _There once was a Knight who served the Third King. He was raised from birth to do many horrible things. He didn't feel wrong because no one taught him right. He did as he was told. And killed many with his might!"_

' _This kid.'_ Kakashi shook his head, smiling and checking the box for enthusiasm.

" _He didn't have mercy. He didn't feel pain. His name was Menma! Until the day love came."_ Naruto switched quick down to one knee, a palm open to the surprised raven in the back. His feelings for Sasuke were well known for many, many reasons like this. He smoothly stood back up and gestured to his body, saying, " _Then there stood but a man in shackles and silence. Regretful and Weak from a love killed out of defiance!"_

Kiba gasped at his friend's sudden dramatic change in voice, playing it out and adding to the atmosphere. "What did he do?!"

"What did he do, you ask?" Naruto shifted into a superman pose, sideways slightly with fist clenched at his waist and chest out. " _He spat at all four kings who then quickly took his head! For they caused him this grief, and feelings of such dread!"_

' _I made him go first...this is my fault.'_  Though Kakashi was enjoying the show, he had nineteen more students to listen to before the class period ends. "You're doing good, but wrap this up, Uzumaki."

Naruto got to it, clearing his throat and keeping up his superhero stance. " _Before his time was up, he repented for actions then and long ago. The knight henceforth, became known as-?"_ he paused for dramatic effect and then held up an imaginary sword, " _Naruto_!"

His biggest applause came from Kiba while Sasuke was busy sending him a text message.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Naruto mocked bowed before sitting down, feeling he'd made up for his embarrassing moment earlier. He crossed his legs and laid back in his seat, arms up behind his head, proud for remembering all of that. He had no idea it...well. "Was that an, A, teach?"

"You got it, Uzumaki. Good job." Kakashi shook his head at the excited blond student now high-fiving the pupper teen next to him. "So who's next? Uchiha, how about you? I'm sure your phone could use a moment of release."

Sasuke panicked, hitting send before hiding his cell away. "S-Sure!"

Not even a second later, all everyone heard was, " _AND IIIIIIIIIIII-EEE-IIIIIII WILL ALWAYS...LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUU!"_

The beautiful singing came from one student's blue book bag. That same embarrassed student slowly reached for that bag by his feet on the floor. He unzipped, reached inside, muted his phone, and put it back down. No matter how discreetly he tried to do that, it didn't work.

"Was that another announcement, Uzumaki?"

"C-Can I go to the bathroom?" Naruto swallowed hard, avoiding everyone's gaze, especially Sasuke's shocked one. There were moments that were too much for him to deal with.

"I suppose you're going to take your book-bag with you?" Kakashi crossed his arms, head tilted to the side with a grin.

"I...I really need to go."

The teacher sighed and let him be. "Go on then. Do hurry back though. The quicker we get this over with, the longer we can al-."

Naruto was halfway out the door already by the time that sentence finished. He bolted to the empty boys bathroom nearby and pulled out his phone from his book bag. He unlocked it so he could not only read the text this time, he also wanted to give a fast response.

 **[ Sasuke:** _Did you really have to do all that? After kissing me? You're such a show off! Fyi, we always have lunch together. :P_ **] Time: 9:20 a.m.**

This was the problem with texting. He couldn't tell if the raven was mad at him or playing. Either way, he got a response and they were having lunch.

"I could just ask him if he's…" Naruto mumbled allowed, texting something like his outer thought.

 **[ Naruto:** _I'm not a show off! I'm just very expressive...um, are you mad at me by any chance at all for the pda? ps: I'm happy we're doing lunch!_ **] Time: 9:23 a.m.**

"Why did I just send that?!-! AAHHH!" He muffled his groan into his hands over his face. "Now he's going to think I'm insecure! What is wrong with me today?!"

Naruto balled up, hearing his cell go off to another text. This time the ringtone was this,

" _You just remember what your old pal said! Boy, you've got a friend in me!"_

The song made him smile inside and out as he checked his phone.

 **[ Dad:** _Did you guys get off to school okay? We just got a call from Gaara's teacher. Your mom and I are very concerned that we might have rushed you both in a little to quick._ **] Time: 9:26 a.m.**

Naruto shrugged, perfectly understanding they had things to do and so couldn't home-school them often. He responded with,

 **[ Naruto:** _Naw it's great…. I overslept so we were late! I missed my date with Sasuke and nearly forgot my homework. I remembered it somehow and got my first A of the year... I'm sorry I'm not passing the way you guys want me to._ **] Time: 9:28 a.m.**

 **[ Dad:** _You know what that means then?_ **] Time: 9:30 a.m.**

 **[ Naruto:** _What?_ **] Time: 9:31a.m.**

 **[ Dad:** _Dad jokes! You ready?_ **] Time: 9:31 a.m.**

Naruto bit back a chuckle, loving how his parents always tried to cheer him up.

 **[ Naruto:** _You really don't have to do this!_ **] Time: 9:32 a.m.**

 **[ Dad:** _Nonsense! You're going to love it! You're mother found it today, so technically this a mom joke. Son, we know what your favorite type of men are!_ **] Time: 9:36 a.m.**

That caught him by surprise. He didn't know if his parents saw his internet history somehow or went through pictures on his phone that were supposed to be private. It didn't matter the source, this wasn't good. He hesitated responding after a few minutes.

 **[ Naruto:** … _..?_ **] Time: 9:43 a.m.**

What he got back was so bland and obvious that it made his jaw drop.

 **[ Dad:** _Ra-men!_ **] Time: 9:45 a.m.**

Naruto stared at the ceiling in disbelief. "Oh my go-"

He got another text message that cut him off.

 **[ Dad:** _You get it? Did you laugh? UDON know how much you boys mean to us! Okay, we googled some of these… Here's one from us!_ **] Time: 9:47 a.m.**

 **[ Dad:** _I and your mother were both hoping for grandchildren to love, hold and take on walks. We now see that dream is quite possible, even if you like -_

Naruto didn't finish reading that inappropriate text that sent his face a fluster. He held his phone close to his chest when the bathroom door was kicked open.

"BLONDY! What the hell are you doing in here? Kakashi's going to deduct points off if you don't come back now!" Kiba barged in, grabbing his friend by their shirt and dragging them off, forcing them to gather their things. "You are not repeating this class again!"

"Alright, man! Hold on!" Naruto made sure his cell was muted before putting it in his bag this time. He felt loads better and plenty of embarrassed to laugh at himself. He definitely had to thank his parents later.


	41. What It Leads To

_\::/ Look Outside \::/_

Over at the middle school, Gaara arrived safely to class where he instantly became swarmed by his teachers who wanted to know what happened. They had called his parents multiple times and just about dragged them off from work. His mother and father were notified yet again after he was seated. Both parents demanded he be allowed to eat breakfast and so he did. He was hungry after all, but he felt like they thought he was starving. He didn't like being thought to be as helpless as a child, but he understood they were simply worried about him. All of them were. He ate his Pb&j in the back of the class as to not disturb anyone while his teacher taught math. That was his first period of the day and he didn't mind it.

His least favorite class was history at the end of the day. He wasn't into the long lectures and life lessons that he thought were pretty obvious to not repeat.

He ate his breakfast, shaking those thoughts and crossing his legs while doing such, listening. He hoped his adoptive parents weren't upset with him and Naruto for being late...again. This adjustment didn't progress on a easy street. For years, Naruto was previously home-schooled, and he himself, kept out of school for reasons he'd rather not think about ever again. At least they entered eventually, having luckily fulfilling the requirements to be in their respective grades.

He loved it. More kids. More friends. More things he'd never had before.

His older brother was having a tougher time still but he was getting there. They both were making steps ahead than ten ones back.

It was enough to put a visible smile on the ginger.

He finished his breakfast and then gave his full attention to class. He always did his best to listen and learn despite the times where he would get distracted in his thoughts about unnecessary things like pandas, yellow bears, or Shikamaru waving at him from outside. His eyes widened at that latter assumed daydream. He snapped back to the horizontal, slider window beside him. There out in the field against the window, not in class, was his third, only friend he'd made that wasn't in middle school. He stared at the boy like he'd lost his mind! If there was one thing his brother was right about, it was that Shika was a clever kid... that just so happened skipped class often.

Gaara greeted him with a wave, and for him to go away.

Shika stayed there, accompanied by a look of defiance, a hand in his black, sleeveless hoodie pocket, holding up his lunch box with the other.

' _Oh!'_  He quickly wrote a response on a piece paper, checking once to make sure the teacher hadn't noticed. He put it up to the glass, revealing the question, ' _Won't you get in trouble again?'_

Shikamaru shrugged and wiggled his lunch box one time.

Gaara shook his head, laughing quietly before nodding. ' _Okay!'_ His friend grinned and put his hand on the window, saying something that the redhead couldn't make out. He tilted his head to the side in confusion, more so when that clever boy simply left with a content air about himself.

"Is there something outside that's more interesting, Gaara?"

"No, ma'am!" Gaara straightened up and clasped his hands on the desk, blushing at the giggling all around him. ' _Nara,'_ he grumbled in his thoughts about the one who always got him in unintentional trouble and made him… like him some.

_\::/ Lunch \::/_

After two more periods and counselling, it was time to eat. Lunch is just about anyone's favorite part of the day at school. It's free time to relax and talk with your classmates about anything other than where you are. You could munch and chat outside in the courtyard, or one could stay inside and avoid the heat.

Gaara took his lunch outside, away from the teachers and students. He went over to the fence to the back of the school leading out to a small forest. The weather wasn't too bad thanks the high clouds, plus he wasn't wearing that awful coat. He sat down on the grassy field against the chain link fence that made that little spring noise when he leaned back on it. He crossed his legs and sat his box in front of him, unzipping the square. A sudden shake of the fence behind him, drew out a yelp, fright reducing down to annoyance shortly after.

He glared back and up at his friend who was laughing at the ordeal they caused, climbing over. "That's not funny!"

"You know, to be as smart as you are, Gaara," Shikamaru teased at the top of the fence before landing on his feet, dropping down beside the redhead thereafter with a knee up and the other down, "I thought you would have been less likely to scare!"

Gaara lightly punched him on the shoulder, playfully. "Quit it! What'd you pack for lunch?"

"The best meal ever." Shika opened his Guns-n-Roses themed box on the side of him, a pack of half eaten Twizzlers inside.

"You never eat right!"

"Says the one immediately going to town on his Debbie snack first."

Gaara's cheeks flushed, continuing to take bites out of his oatmeal pie. In between chews, he said, "It ...has oatmeal...in it!"

"If it makes it better, you keep telling yourself that." Shikamaru chuckled, putting an arm casually around the ginger. There were so many things he loved about him, but one was his favorite. He picked up a twizzler, leaning back against the chain linked fence more, and took a bite. He chewed, looking to Gaara and then looking up to the clouds, not seeing his life looking any better than this. He closed his eyes, daydreaming about a few possibilities in the future. That lasted for a good ten minutes and then-

"Shika! Shikamaru?!" Gaara tried his brother's method and poked him in the cheek. "Nara! What are you thinking about?"

"Take a guess."

"Twizzlers?"

"Uhuh." Shikamaru smiled, one eye open to see the redhead pouting about it. He closed that eye and said, "And maybe a few other things."

"Like what?!"

"Dinner at your place?"

Gaara shook his head drastically. "My brother hates you!"

"Then sneak me over? The less that deadweight knows, the better it is for humanity." He didn't see why the blond was such an overprotective moron. They were going to be brother-in laws anyway at some point so he might as well get over it.

"Hmm, then maybe. I was going to ask you to come with me to get a candy apple today actually, but Naruto said he would end you."

"He'd have to catch me first."

"Cocky, cocky." Gaara sighed, digging into his actual lunch. "He caught you last time."

Shikamaru opened his eyes and grumbled at that true statement. "I tripped."

"Over what? Your ego?"

"My ego? Really?" He sat up and pulled the laughing redhead closer. "You want to repeat that?"

"Nooo! I need food!" Gaara laughed softly, trying to eat his sandwich. He then leaned into his friend's pulling, missing their curt blush from that.

Shikamaru focused back on the clouds to get his blood pressure under control, putting away more sugar in his mouth like that was the sound choice. There were times like this when he didn't know if the redhead understood his feelings or had no idea at all. He'd thought he made it obvious, but maybe he hadn't. "Gaara, do you remember when you first got here?

"Yup! You nearly got hit by a car trying to cross the street."

"...Do you know why?"

Gaara shrugged. "You never told me! You just said, 'Hi!', and welcome to H.S Middle School and stuff. You showed me around afterwards and started stalking me ever since."

"I do not stalk you!" Shikamaru claimed out of embarrassment, face red when he saw the sly adolescent laughing at him. "Gaara!"

"I know, Shikamaru! I know what you're trying to say all the time." Gaara smiled, huddled up against him more. "But I'm not allowed to date till I'm sixty five."

"Sixty five? Seriously?"

"I had to do a lot of bargaining to get it that low!"

Shikamaru pulled at a hoodie string. "Let me guess, your deadweight brother set that number?"

"Stop calling him that! My parents set it, for your information! Naruto preferred I didn't date at all."

"But he's been dating the Uchiha guy since he was like 13?"

"Shika, don't worry about it. I'm not going anywhere." Gaara smiled up at him till the bell rang. "Never mind."

"You can always just skip class." Shika held onto the redhead, resting his chin on their head.

"Hmmm, nah! I like class! Now let me up." Gaara squirmed, trying to get free. He refused to be late though it was the last period of the day that he didn't like. "Nara!"

At his last name, he gave the redhead his freedom, wanting to say something. "Gaara! I...um.."

"Yeah?" He packed his things and then eased up off the ground, dusting himself off while waiting.

"I...I really do…" Shikamaru was petted for his efforts.

"I know."

"I don't think you do-"

"Shika! I've always known! So don't worry about it." Gaara knelt down and gave the needlessly worried boy a kiss on his forehead. "See you after school?"

Shikamaru nodded, deep in his feelings, unable to look up at the moment. He missed whatever the ginger said next due to also being buried in thought. At least he caught him heading back into the building at the last minute. He was more than happy that his terrible way of expressing himself, wasn't so crippling. He packed his things and stood, stretching at the minor accomplishment. He turned around to jump the fence thereafter.

He did no such thing and actually jumped back, falling onto the ground when he came face to fence and then face to face with the redheads pissed, blond brother. The whole thing nearly gave him a heart attack. "What the fuck, deadweight?!"

" _I will end you!_ " Naruto gripped the fence, glaring death at the teen who could now hear eerie slasher music that cut off the moment that non-whiskered male, smiled. "How was that? Was that convincing? I'm trying out for the drama club come Monday."

Shikamaru didn't know what to say. Being scared for one's life will often stun you.

"Boss, leave him alone." Sasuke came up beside his boyfriend, pulling him away by the forearm. "We can't keep spying on them like this! Class starts in five minutes!"

"Definitely can't be late again either! Hi, Shika!" Kiba poked out on the side with a wave.

"Dang, alright then." Naruto looked back to Shikamaru with that soul snatching stare returning suddenly, mouthing to him,  _I. Will. END. You_!"

_\::/ Last Story Time \::/_

Gaara sat there excitedly, bouncing lightly in his seat, looking at the clock. Their teacher was going over something about how their city came to be and how it stretched to the medieval times and whatnot. The point is, he wasn't listening completely. Every time their teacher wrote on the marker board, he looked at the clock, finding it a fun game for himself to kill time.

"-were all brothers from the same father and mother. Yin and Yang were their names. Their children took on merely the color of their hair. They each had their own personalities despite their noble ancestors single notes. There was a king who was weak in his heart. Another was weak to his brothers. One was weak to his greed. And the last was weak to his mind." The teacher teaching this class was called, Iruka. He was also the nurse at the high school on certain fortunate days.

"Msr. Hatake, Sir. Did you want me to tell your husband to call you this afternoon?" A woman poked in the room, rechecking, a cell in her hand.

Iruka nodded with a small smile at the board, mid writing,  _loyalty_ , on it. "Please do."

"Yes, Sir."

He then tended back to finishing up with a very defined underline under loyalty. Turning back to the class, he said, "Now, loyalty was hard to come by in these times, especially among brothers. Do you all remember the knight who miraculously changed when his love was killed? Well, the third king that he served, did something quite miraculous himself after his beloved knight's death. He began to question his family, their motives, and the things they did. He figured out that all the death they'd caused, was pointless after he lost love too! He spearheaded the belief that the stones were the cause of all his. Who here knows what that means?"

A sweet pink haired girl raised her hand.

"Yes, Haruno?"

"Death!"

"That is sort of correct! The third king thought what you just said! The first king saw it as a necessary means to making a new world. A better world and insuring their kingdoms legacy forever. Fortunately, he was the only one who thought this. The third king banded the other brothers together against the first, and destroyed their terrible reign and mysterious power. Of course, this took some time to pan out."

"Magic." Gaara mumbled aloud, remembering what he had read.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing! I'm sorry!" He held his head down and went to pretending he was writing notes.

"No, no, it okay. If you wish to speak, please raise your hand next time."

"Yes, Sir!"

"Good! Other than that, you're correct. Their mysterious power was rumored to have been magic!" Iruka turned back to the marker board and wrote, ' _Ruin'_. "The kingdom fell to ruin shortly after some time and rose to be a nation. This new turnover, ended noble rein and brought in what many consider a just system. The last village that was wiped clean by order of the third king himself, was given memorial by using its name as the title of the new nation. That, is how the great capital we live in, became known as, Little Sanin. Because all of this," he paused to circle a large area on the map, "was land conquered! We are merely the closest to where it started."

Gaara listened involuntarily, in awe and horror at the reach their swords spanned. It was awful. To him, the few kings that did try to amend for their mistakes, were acceptable, but not forgivable. He sighed and zoned out again, drawing a little dagger on his paper. There was an artifact in his textbook that really interested him for one thing, bears on the pommel. He did this for as long as it took until the bell rang.

Excited, he quickly stuffed his things in his book bag.

"-and you all have a wonderful weekend! Don't forget you have a test Monday!"

' _Test?!'_ Gaara stopped halfway out the door, embarrassed when he had to turn around and ask. "Msr. Hatake, what's the test over?"

Iruka smiled at the child, arms crossed. "Ah, so you weren't listening after all."

The student looked down and shook his head.

"You're lucky you're not failing my class." Iruka chuckled and then said, "Your test will be over what the knights did after their leader and prince gave their lives for a just cause. We've discussed the last redemption phase of their change today."

"Oh, okay!" To Gaara, that wasn't bad at all. He loved to read anyway. "Thank you, Msr. Hatake!"

"You're welcome, Uzumaki! Have a great day!"

"You too!" Shortly after that, he was gone. He could hear his teacher shout 'No running!', so he lightly jogged. His day at school didn't end so bad compared to what could've transpired. His brother on the other hand…

_\::/ Parking Lot \::/_

Naruto waited outside, by his car, his boyfriend under an arm against him. He kept a frown on his face no matter how many times the raven poked him. Nothing was working.

Sasuke snickered and asked, "Why are you so upset with him?"

"Because he won't forgive me! How many times do I have to tell him, I'm joining the drama club?! He can have the fencing team! I don't care anymore!" He grumbled with a band-aid on his nose. "Can't you convince him that I'm leaving so he can stop trying to kill me all the time?"

"I think when he sees you're not there, Monday, Neji will back off." The raven smiled and gave his boyfriend a loving kiss on a banded jaw. "He won't accept your friendship though."

"Oh he will! He will be my best friend if it's the last thing I do before they kick me out of this school." Naruto had set many goals for himself when he was put in. Some were coming true and some were teetering on being impossible. To him, all he saw was  **possible.**

Sasuke shook his head at his goal driven boyfriend, knowing that face. That same face was what got them both through their first year of high school with minor breakdowns. Other than that, they were doing great. His best friend/lover was such a people person that he naturally adjusted to the students, but not the school work. He himself was quite the opposite. He loved the school work. They were able to help each other out in their weaknesses and fit in. Some things were easier said than done. He for instance, struggled with making contact with people still.

They were both a work in progress.

"Naruto!" Gaara called out from the steps to the parking lot.

"Bro-Oh no." Naruto's excitement shriveled up when he looked back and saw what came literally attached to his brother. "You…!"

"Me?" Shikamaru quirked a brow, holding the ginger's hand. "I have a name."

"Like… Juvie?" Naruto received an elbow in the side for that side comment. "Ah, what?!"

"Be nice." Sasuke smirked, waving to them next. "Hey you two!"

"Hey Sasuke!" Gaara smiled, jogging down the steps with his friend. "We're going to get apples today!"

"Ooooh, no thank you. I'm good! I've gotta pick my little brother up from art and go help my mom with my uncle again. He's not adjusting at all after being put in a mental ward for the fifth time!" The raven shouldered his book bag, sighing. "I'll see you both later on for dinner. Remember Kiba has baseball practice so he'll be late! Don't blow up his phone asking where he is! He'd prefer not to see his face on an amber alert! You got all that, boss?"

' _I'ma be put in a straight jacket today,'_ is what a blond told himself after his brother came down with a smug friend who held his hand the entire time. He could hear his boyfriend calling him, but his inner rage was speaking louder.

"Boss?!"

"Huh? OH! Yes, yes definitely come by for dinner! I'll put Kibbles food in a dog bowl by the door.." Naruto nodded, giving the tickled raven a kiss goodbye, sideways glaring at Shikamaru. "Sorry about your uncle. I thought he'd stop hanging with Jiraiya by now."

"Me too." Sasuke cupped a tan face and returned the loving, taking leave after. "I'll tell you about it at dinner. See you guys later!"

"Bye!" Gaara said cheerfully moving to the back seat passenger side, ready to go.

"I think your brother forgot how to drive." Shikamaru teased, seeing as though his crush's kin was staring him down still.

Naruto grinned, throwing the clever boy off. "You know what, you're somewhat right. So why don't you sit up front with me! What do you think, Gaara? With his GPA, I can't possibly crash."

"Hmm, true."

"What? No! I don't want to sit up front with hi-"

"Why not?" Gaara frowned. "He's being nice to you for once."

"Yeah, I'm being nice!" Naruto played it up, hugging his brother and fake sniffling,

Shikamaru groaned and accepted defeat. "Bothersome."

_\::/ We'll Figure This Out Together \::/_

The drive wasn't that bad as Shikamaru thought it was going to be. He sat up front without any comments from the driver and also received a thank you from the blond for buying Gaara the candy apple himself. He was feeling good about the whole thing, especially at the sight of the happy sleeping face in the back of the car. There was a clear wrapped, half eaten candy apple in the napping male's hands, held loosely.

"Shikamaru."

Shika averted his eyes to the front when he was called, expecting to be berated. "What?"

"You really like my brother that much?" The driver asked quietly and skeptically, eyes on the road.

"Yes."

"You want to date him?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know what he's been through?" Naruto glanced at him once, seeing a pint of sadness in the seat next to him.

"He won't talk about it to me." Shikamaru looked off outside.

"None of us know what Gaara has experienced either, and we don't want to pressure him. I sure as hell would prefer you not to end up hurting him unintentionally. You're a smart kid! Why are you so careless and lazy, man?" Naruto stressed, truly confused about their behavior after what he'd seen. "I can understand if you don't want to tell me. Believe me, I'm used to that with Gaara. But he doesn't let his past get to him. He straightened himself out and became the better half from misery. So, what's going on with you?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "You know I'm smart? I can do anything I want. I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Hey, I'm only trying to-"

"That's what I tell myself everyday in the mirror... Sometimes that's not enough, so I act out."

"...oh...so you have confidence issues?" Naruto snorted when the kid snapped on him.

"You got a problem with that, deadweight?!"

"No way! Keep it down! Look, come here." He leaned over, perfectly fine when the adolescent stayed away. "I'm not going to lecture you. You're too clever for that. What I'm going to tell someone like you, is get your shit together."

Shikamaru, surprised, looked to the driver only for a second because of that stupid smile there. "Real motivational..."

"I'm serious! You need bluntness in your life, clearly. To many people are blowing smoke up a barely finished chimney if that makes any sense." Naruto chuckled when he saw his new friend do the same under their breath. "So here's what I'm saying, you need to move on past yourself, think of others, tend to your damn classes- Man if I had your brain, I'd be out of school, married to Sasuke within a day, and rich with my own ramen shop! Come at me."

Shikamaru covered his mouth with the back of his hand to muffle his laughter, shaking his head. "You're an idiot."

"Thanks! You're an asshole. See, self awareness! That's your first step."

"Yeah." The passenger shrugged again, smiling this time. "Thanks...I guess. I'm pretty sure I would have figured that out on my own."

"Second step, acknowledge the people around you. You're not alone, man. You don't have to act hard all the time- fuck it! You're having dinner with us." Naruto stopped the car in a parking lot and put it in reverse, startling his passenger in a good way.

"You can't be serious?!"

"I promise you, I am. Prepare for family fun and extreme embarrassment."


End file.
